X-RAY IMAGE DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - The present invention implements efficient transmission of captured images while also maintaining high-resolution image quality. The present invention is an image processing method for an X-ray image diagnosis apparatus, the method including the steps of: obtaining the effective bandwidth for transmitting captured images; obtaining imaging conditions; calculating the respective resulting data amounts when a captured image captured under the conditions is compressed using lossless and lossy compression, mixing the captured images compressed losslessly and lossily, and determining the mix ratio so that the transmission amount per unit of time when multiple captured images are transmitted is less than the effective bandwidth; and transmitting the multiple captured images compressed losslessly and lossily at the determined ratio.

12-10-2009

20120170826

MULTI-ENERGY X-RAY SYSTEM, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR DISCRIMINATING MULTI-ENERGY X-RAY MATERIAL, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD FOR MATERIAL DISCRIMINATION OF MULTI-ENERGY X-RAY SYSTEM - Disclosed are a multi-energy x-ray system, an image processing apparatus for discriminating a multi-energy x-ray material, and an image processing method for material discrimination of a multi-energy x-ray system. The image processing apparatus for discriminating a multi-energy x-ray material according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a table for recording attenuation information and multi-energy x-ray spectrum information which correspond to one or more materials; an initial image estimating portion for estimating an initial image of each of the materials with respect to a projection image of each of the energy bands generated when a multi-energy x-ray spectrum passes through a detecting target formed with one or more materials; and an image update portion for updating the initial image as the material discrimination image using the estimated initial image and the spectrum information recorded in the table and the attenuation information recorded in the table.

07-05-2012

20090297012

Methods of and System for Detection and Tracking of Osteoporosis - A method and system for detection and tracking of osteoporosis is disclosed. A method of characterizing an image of a target vertebra includes building a computer model from a set of sample images of pathological and non-pathological variations of vertebrae representing variations in shape of the vertebrae. The method also includes receiving an image of a target vertebra of a subject and automatically estimating contours of lateral outlines of the superior and the inferior cortical endplates of the image. The parameters of the model are varied to determine a set that represents a model shape that approximates the estimated contours of the outlines of the cortical endplates. The method includes automatically characterizing the target vertebra based on the set of model parameters that are determined and outputting on a display device the characterization of the target vertebra.

12-03-2009

20110311122

MEASURING INTRAMUSCULAR FAT - Dual-energy absorptiometry is used to estimate intramuscular adipose tissue metrics and display results, preferably as related to normative data. The process involves deriving x-ray measurements for respective pixel positions related to a two-dimensional projection image of a body slice containing intramuscular adipose tissue as well as subcutaneous adipose tissue, at least some of the measurements being dual-energy x-ray measurements, processing the measurements to derive estimates of metrics related to the intramuscular adipose tissue in the slice, and using the resulting estimates. Processing the measurements includes an algorithm which places boundaries of regions, e.g., a large region and a smaller region. The regions are combined in an equation that is highly correlated with intramuscular adipose tissue measured by quantitative computed tomography in order to estimate intramuscular adipose tissue.

12-22-2011

20090123052

System and Method for Generating a 2D Image from a Tomosynthesis Data Set - A 2D mammogram image is synthesized from at least one of tomosynthesis projection images and/or the tomosynthesis reconstructed image data. In a simplest form, the mammogram may be synthesized by selecting one of the tomosynthesis projection images for display as a synthesized mammogram. Other methods of synthesizing a mammogram include re-projecting and filtering projection data and/or reconstructed data. The synthesized mammogram is advantageously displayed together with at least a portion of the reconstructed data to aid in review of the reconstructed data. The present invention thus provides a familiar image which may be used to facilitate review of a tomosynthesis data set.

05-14-2009

20090279764

SMALL-SCALE DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM - The present invention is to provide a small-scale diagnosis system for conducting simple and efficient examination, including: an image creating apparatus for creating photographic image data of examination object; a CPU to conduct image processing for creating defined photographic image data from the photographic image data; an input section to input the examination object information to specify the photographed examination object; a CPU to correlate the defined image data created and examination object information corresponding to the defined photographic image data; a server to store the defined photographic image data having been correlated and the examination object information; a display section capable of displaying at least any one of the photographic image data, the defined photographic image data or the examination object information; and a control device having at least the CPU to carry out image processing, the CPU to carry out correlation processing and the display section.

11-12-2009

20090190819

X-RAY ACQUISITION METHOD AND DEVICE FOR STEREOTACTIC BIOPSY - In a method and an associated device for generation of digital x-ray image exposures of an examination subject with an x-ray source and a digital x-ray detector for a stereotactic biopsy, wherein, for one or more x-ray image acquisitions of the examination subject with a biopsy device, acquisition and image processing parameters are used that have been determined from an x-ray image exposure of the examination subject without the biopsy device (

07-30-2009

20090190818

COMPUTER-AIDED TUBING DETECTION - A method for detecting tubing in a radiographic image of a patient, executed at least in part by a control logic processor, obtains a radiographic image data for a patient and detects one or more possible tube segments in the image. At least one tubing candidate is formed by extending at least one detected tube segment or merging two or more detected tube segments.

07-30-2009

20130322728

MULTIPARAMETRIC NON-LINEAR DIMENSION REDUCTION METHODS AND SYSTEMS RELATED THERETO - Featured are methods and systems to multiparametric non-linear dimension reduction (NLDR) methods for segmentation and classification of radiological images. Such methods for segmentation and classification of radiological images, includes pre-processing of acquired image data; and reconstructing the acquired image data using a non-linear dimension reduction technique so as to yield an embedded image representing all of the acquired, where the acquired image data comprises a plurality of different sets of image data of the same region of interest. Such NLDR methods and systems are particularly suitable for the ability to combine multiple input images into a single unit for increased specificity of diagnosis.

12-05-2013

20130322727

MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE AND MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - Provided is, for example, a medical image display device which automatically create and display an image suitable for radiographic image interpretation of interosseous tissue or a 3-dimensional image of a vertebral body separated one by one with high precision. A medical image processing device (

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR COMPUTER-AIDED RADIOLOGICAL DETECTION AND IMAGING - A computer aided detection (CAD) method and system is configured to input chest radiographs and generate overlay layer for labeling and tracing tubes detected within the image. The input image is first preprocessed and then segmented according to anatomy. Seeds are generated from the segmented image and then used to grow the region. Tubes are selected from the grown region and data is overlayed on the image based on the grown seed path.

12-05-2013

20130322724

ADAPTIVE ROADMAPPING - The invention relates to adaptive roadmapping providing improved information to the user, comprising the following steps: providing pre-navigation image data representing at least a part of a vascular structure comprising a tree-like structure with a plurality of sub-trees; generating a vessel representation on the basis of pre-navigation image data; acquiring live image data of the object, which object comprises the vascular structure; wherein the vascular structure contains an element of interest; determining spatial relation of the pre-navigation image data and the live image data; analysing the live image data by identifying and localizing the element in the live image data; determining a sub-tree in which the element is positioned, wherein the determining is based on the localization of the element and on the spatial relation; and selecting a portion of the vascular structure based on the determined sub-tree; generating a combination of the live image data and an image of the selected portion of the vascular structure; and displaying the combination as a tailored roadmap. The element may be physical object, for example an interventional tool or device.

VIRTUAL, GRID IMAGING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELIMINATING SCATTERED RADIATION EFFECT - A virtual grid imaging method capable of eliminating scattered radiation effect and an imaging system thereof are provided. The method is mainly applicable for imaging with high energy rays, in which scattered rays reaching a surface of a detector are not filtered, and data of the scattered rays and straight rays are all sampled, and then, separation and inhibition of scattered ray component are performed for the sampled data, thereby eliminating the scattered ray component in the resulted image. The method particularly includes the following steps: (1) decomposing a digital image into multi-band images from high to low according to frequencies; (2) performing de-scattering process for low-frequency band images; (3) performing contrast enhancement process for high-frequency band images; and (4) merging the images of various frequency bands processed in the step (2) and the step (3), and forming an output image. Experiment shows that, in digital X-ray imaging, the present invention can obviously eliminate the scattered radiation effect, and meanwhile significantly reduce the dosage of the rays, in which only one third of the required dosage of a common grid is used to obtain the same image brightness.

02-25-2010

20100021036

METHOD OF MICROCALCIFICATION DETECTION IN MAMMOGRAPHY - A method of microcalcification detection in a digital mammographic image identifies one or more potential microcalcification sites in the mammographic image according to spot clustering. Each of the one or more potential microcalcification sites is assigned either as a member of a positive candidate set or as a member of a rejected candidate set. Optionally at least one subsequent classifier process that selectively assigns zero or more members of the positive candidate set to the rejected candidate set is executed, according to results from the at least one subsequent classifier process. One or more members of the rejected candidate set are selected as a reclamation candidate set according to results from the initial and any subsequent classifier process. One or more members of the reclamation candidate set are assigned either back to the rejected candidate set or to the positive candidate set according to results from a reclamation classifier process.

01-28-2010

20110103676

METHOD FOR USING A FIXATOR DEVICE - A method for determining the proper configuration of a fixator or other medical device to correct a given deformity by solving the simultaneous equations representing the kinematic chain for the device. One skilled in the art would appreciate that x-rays, clinical evaluations, or a combination of both may be used to determine the distal and proximal mounting characteristics, including the use of digital x-rays with images from an imaging device to reduce or eliminate the needs for a physician to take measurements. The technique can be expanded to other medical evaluations. Additionally, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the method of the present invention could be written as one or more sets of instructions stored on a computer-readable medium that could be executed by a computer.

05-05-2011

20100098315

ITERATIVE RECONSTRUCTION OF CORONARY ARTERIES - According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an iterative reconstruction of coronary arteries comprises a filtering of projection data on the basis of a top-hat filter and an iterative reconstruction of the object of interest on the basis of a regularisation favouring sparse objects. This may provide for high contrast and detail.

METHOD FOR THE DETECTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MICROCALCIFICATION CLUSTERS IN DIGITAL MAMMOGRAMS - A method for the detection and classification of microcalcification clusters in digital mammograms which comprises the following steps: obtaining one or more digital mammograms; pre-processing the one or more digital mammograms by eliminating the noise from each one or more digital mammograms; detecting the points that are potential microcalcifications represented by their centroids, in the one or more pre-processed digital mammograms; identifying each mass center of potential microcalcifications as a microcalcification or non-microcalcification; identifying microcalcification clusters, using an algorithm for locating microcalcification cluster; and classifying each cluster into the classes benign or malignant.

METHOD FOR DETECTING ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES - A method for estimating the location of an anatomical structure in a diagnostic image of a patient obtains the x-ray data in digital format and detects a first benchmark feature within the x-ray image. A second benchmark feature within the x-ray image is detected. An intersection is located between a first line that extends along the length of the first benchmark feature and a second line that extends from a central point related to the curvature of the second benchmark feature and that intersects with the first line at an angle that is within a predetermined range of angles. The location of the anatomical structure is identified relative to the intersection.

Patent Fluoroscopy System with Spatio-Temporal Filtering - A system for processing real-time fluoroscopy image sequences. A first image frame is loaded into an upper level memory of a hierarchical memory system that is coupled to at least one processing core. The first image frame is processed with an object detection filter to form a likelihood image frame. The first image frame and the likelihood image frame is spatially filtered using a spatial filter look up table (LUT) stored in an L1 level memory of the processing core. The likelihood image frame is temporally filtering using a temporal filter LUT stored in the L1 level memory.

07-19-2012

20120183195

Noise Assessment Method for Digital X-ray Films - The method includes acquisition of an original image; low-frequency filtering of the original image to obtain an estimated image; a noise image development as a difference between the original and estimated images by morphologic filtering elimination of noise image pixels corresponding to sharp changes in the original image; dividing an intensity range of the estimated image into intervals, wherein each pixel of the estimated image relates to an appropriate interval; accumulating some noise image pixels corresponding to estimated image pixels; calculating interval estimations of noise dispersion using accumulated noise image pixels; improving interval estimations by removing noise pixels according to σ

07-19-2012

20130044932

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND TRACKING CHANGE IN DENTAL X-RAYS AND DENTAL IMAGES - A system and method for detecting and/or rendering easily visible changes in dental images over time so as to identify bone loss, tooth movement, and other forms of change that uses dental images with similar perspectives but taken at different points in time and adjusts one or both of the dental images so as to compensate for differences in perspective, size, and rotation to thereby register the digital images to each other.

02-21-2013

20090097729

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING DEFECTS IN A RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF A SCANNED OBJECT - A method for processing a radiographic image of a scanned object is provided. The method comprises acquiring radiographic image data corresponding to a scanned object and identifying one or more regions of interest in the radiographic image data corresponding to the scanned object. The method further comprises performing an image-contrast comparison of the radiographic image data corresponding to the scanned object and one or more reference radiographic images, to identify one or more defects in the radiographic image data corresponding to the scanned object.

SYSTEM AND METHOD RELATING TO EXAMINATION OF AN OBJECT - The present invention relates to a system and method for non-invasively examination of internal structures of an object by producing dielectric images utilizing reflection and transmission 5 measurements using microwave radiation, characterized by an antenna array surrounding a region of interest for the examination, a microwave transceiver for measuring reflected and transmitted electromagnetic fields, a computational module for receiving detected radiation and for processing data based on the detected radiation, the computational module further being operatively arranged to execute a reconstruction procedure utilized to compute an image of the 10 dielectric profile under detection.

03-18-2010

20110123089

Method and System for Enhancing Contrast of Spatially-Localized Phenomena in Mammography Image - In a method to enhance the contrast of spatially-localized phenomena in an image such as microcalcifications in a mammogram, a multi-scale decomposition is applied to a digital signal representation of the image thereby generating a number of detail images at different scales, the detail signals pertaining to the spatially-localized phenomena having a common polarity (either negative or positive) being modified at at least one scale.

05-26-2011

20150036911

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOLECULAR BREAST IMAGING - A method for motion correcting molecular breast imaging (MBI) images includes obtaining a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) images of a breast using a MBI system, selecting a reference image from the plurality of 2D images, selecting a feature of interest in the reference image, determining a location of the feature of interest in the reference image, calculating a correction value based on a difference in the location of the feature of interest in the reference image and a location of the feature of interest in a plurality of non-reference images, and aligning the non-reference 2D images with the reference image based on the calculated correction value.

02-05-2015

20090097731

CONTINUOUS X-RAY IMAGE SCREENING EXAMINATION DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - Using nature that a pixel value in a lung of a chest X-ray moving image varies due to heart beat, the variation information on the pixel value is effectively used for diagnosis such as of a lung embolism or a heart disease, considering the variation information as lung blood flow information. A continuous X-ray image screening examination device

04-16-2009

20140169653

FREQUENCY DEPENDENT COMBINATION OF X-RAY IMAGES OF DIFFERENT MODALITIES - The present invention relates to X-ray imaging technology. In phase-contrast imaging, different types of image information, e.g. absorption image information and differential phase-contrast image information, may be obtained by a single image acquisition process. Individual types of image information comprise different image properties. The present invention relates to a frequency dependent combination of different types of image information to obtain a combined image having improved properties over the individual image information and their respective image information type. Accordingly, an apparatus (

06-19-2014

20090290779

FEATURE BASED NEURAL NETWORK REGRESSION FOR FEATURE SUPPRESSION - A method of obtaining one or more components from an image may include normalizing and pre-processing the image to obtain a processed image. Features may be extracted from the processed image. Neural-network-based regression may then be performed on the set of extracted features to predict the one or more components. These techniques may be applied, for example, to the problem of extracting and removing bone components from radiographic images, which may be thoracic (lung) images.

Integrated Image Registration and Motion Estimation for Medical Imaging Applications - Technologies are described herein for generating a diagnostic three dimensional image for a patient. Some example technologies may obtain a sequence of multiple images of the patient using an imaging modality device. The technologies may estimate a registration vector for each image based on a motion function and an image transformation function. Each image may be defined by a measurement noise added to the image transformation function operating on the registration vector with respect to a reference image. The registration vector may be a function of a breathing motion of a prior registration vector added to a transition noise value. The technologies may estimate motion parameters based on the registration vector. The technologies may iteratively refine the registration vector and the motion parameters. The technologies may generate the diagnostic three dimensional image of the patient using the registration vector for each image and the motion parameters.

09-05-2013

20100322501

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ANALYSIS OF BONE DENSITY - The present description relates to a method for generating a bone density value. The method can include generating digital image data depending upon an X-ray image corresponding to at least a part of the bone; transmitting a digital image data signal comprising the digital image data; and processing said digital image data signal. The processing step can include generating a trabeculae model depending upon said processed digital image data signal; generating at least one geometrical figure depending upon the generated trabeculae model, wherein the generated geometrical figure is provided essentially within a space at least partly defined by center lines of the generated trabeculae; and calculating the bone density value depending upon the at least one generated geometrical figure. Devices and storage for the method(s) are also described.

12-23-2010

20100322500

METHOD OF DETECTING THE ORIENTATION OF AN OBJECT IN AN IMAGE - A method of detecting the orientation of a radiographic image represented by a digital signal representation wherein mathematical moments of the digital signal representation are calculated relative to different reference entities and wherein a decision on the orientation of the radiographic image, for example the position of the thorax edge in a mammographic image, is obtained on the basis of an extreme value (minimum, maximum) of the calculated moments.

12-23-2010

20140348408

FLOW DIVERTER DETECTION IN MEDICAL IMAGING - A flow diverter is automatically detected from medical imaging data. The appearance of the flow diverter as represented in the data as well as the geometry or shape of the flow diverter is used in the detection. Using scoring for appearance relative to the centerline and cross-section of the centerline, the flow diverter is detected for increasing visualization.

11-27-2014

20090092307

SLIT COLLIMATOR SCATTER CORRECTION - A technique is presented for establishing a patient's BMD using a dual-energy X-ray imaging system. In the technique, the dual-energy X-ray imaging system utilizes a slit collimator to expose a series of portions of a region of interest within a patient with X-rays of two different energies. A flat-panel digital X-ray detector detects the X-rays passing through the patient's region of interest and produces data representative of the intensity of the X-rays reaching the detector. The image intensity data is corrected for scatter based on identifying the regions of the image intensity data that are produced from scatter only, and not primary X-rays. A first-order derivative of the image intensity data is used to identify these regions. A value for the intensity of the scatter at the boundary of the scatter-only region is established. The value for the intensity of the scatter at the boundary of the scatter-only region is used to estimate scatter intensity in the region of the image intensity data that is produced from primary X-rays, as well as scatter. To correct the image intensity data for scatter, the known and estimated scatter intensities are subtracted from the image intensity data.

04-09-2009

20110058727

RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A radiation imaging apparatus comprising: an image capture unit capturing a radiation image; a first decision unit deciding, as a first region of interest, a region of interest from a region of a first radiation image; a first extraction unit extracting the first region of interest from the first radiation image; a form decision unit deciding a first form from the first region of interest; a first display unit enlarging and displaying the first region of interest; a first search unit searching a region of a second radiation image for a second form similar to the first form; a second decision unit deciding a second region of interest from the second radiation image so as to include the second form; a second extraction unit extracting the second region of interest from the second radiation image; and a second display unit enlarging and displaying the second region of interest.

03-10-2011

20140270454

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING A STATISTICAL NOISE MAP IN X-RAY IMAGING APPLICATIONS - Described here are a system and method for producing a statistical noise map that indicates the noise present in data acquired with an x-ray imaging system, such as an x-ray computed tomography system, an x-ray tomosynthesis system, a C-arm x-ray imaging system, and so on. In general, an image is reconstructed from the acquired data using, for example, any standard filtered back projection (“FBP”) image reconstruction algorithm. This image is used as a base line to estimate a noise standard distribution map. The raw projection data represents a typical measurement among many repeated measurements under the same experimental conditions; therefore, the measured projection data can be used to numerically generate an ensemble of many (e.g., twenty or more) noisy projection data sets. These noisy projection data sets are then used to reconstruct noisy images and from these noisy images and the original image, the statistical noise map can be computed.

09-18-2014

20080219539

Method for Neutralizing Image Artifacts Prior to Determination of Signal-to-Noise Ratio in CR/DR Radiography Systems - A method for neutralizing the non-noise correlated, multiplicative image-artifacts introduced by the X-ray exposure, the detector or the digitizer prior to the determination of the Signal-to-Noise Ratio or the (Normalized) Noise Power Spectrum in CR/DR radiography systems. This method uses statistical techniques and the photon-noise physical model to correct the raw, digital image-data obtained in the selected region of interest (roi) for evaluation during quality control (QC).

09-11-2008

20080219538

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AN IMAGE USING MRI AND PHOTOGRAPHY - A method for generating an image of a region of interest of a subject includes obtaining a set of magnetic resonance (MR) data for the region of interest. In addition, photographic data for at least one surface of the region of interest is obtained, for example, from a database or by using a camera for photographing the region of interest. An image is generated by using the set of MR data to generate a depiction of at least one structure of the region of interest and by using the photographic data to generate a depiction of at least one surface of the region of interest.

09-11-2008

20090304255

X-RAY IMAGE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - The present invention is an image processing apparatus that reconstructs one frame of image data using block-level image data, including a unit that receives the block-level image data to which position information has been added, a unit that determines whether or not there was an error in the transmission of the received position information, a first storage area used for storing the block-level image data corresponding to the position information for which a transmission error did not occur, a second storage area used for storing the block-level image data corresponding to the position information for which a transmission error occurred, a unit that infers correct position information for the block-level image data stored in the second storage area based on the first storage area and the second storage area, and a unit that reconstructs the one frame of image data using the inferred position information.

12-10-2009

20120008849

Method for Correction of Digital Images - The method for correction of a digital image acquired with the use of electromagnetic radiation including X-rays, converted into electric signal and sent to digital imaging device, is provided, comprising pyramidal decomposition of a digital image into detailed and approximation images, removal of scattered radiation in approximation part of the images, contrast enhancement in detailed part of the images, merging of processed detailed and approximation images, the following reconstruction and generation of the final image. The results of the embodiment of this method comprise removal (reduction) of the scattered radiation component, noise reduction, correction of the dynamic range of the output image in accordance with the dynamic range of the output device, and scaling of the dynamic range of the output image in accordance with the dynamic range of the original image.

01-12-2012

20120008848

Method and Device for Digital Image Templating - Methods and devices for orthopedic templating are presented. In an example embodiment, a template object is displayed on an output device that is also displaying a target object and a reference object. The target object may be displayed at an unknown magnification level, while the reference object is of a known size. By measuring the size of the reference object as displayed, the magnification level of the target object can be determined. Then, the template object or the target object can be sized such that the template object substantially matches at least a section of the target object. Once matched, the template object may be overlaid, transparently or semi-transparently, on or with the target object. The template object may also be rotated or moved so that it aligns with at least the matched part of the target object.

01-12-2012

20090279768

IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION DEVICE, IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION METHOD, IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, AND CT APPARATUS - A computerized tomography apparatus and program for obtaining a cross-sectional image corresponding to projections are provided in which, for a temporary cross-sectional image f(x, y) obtained in some manner, an evaluation function E is defined which includes differences between projections calculated from f(x, y) and measured projections, and f(x, y) is changed in a manner which substantially decreases E. The computerized tomography apparatus and program are characterized in which a back projection operation, which is required by conventional computerized tomography, is not essentially required. The computerized tomography apparatus and program are particularly effective in removal or reduction of metal artifacts, aliasing artifacts and the like.

11-12-2009

20090279767

SYSTEM FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEDICAL INSTRUMENT NAVIGATION - A system and method are disclosed for reconstructing an instrument in 3 dimensions for use during interventional medical procedures to provide enhanced instrument visualization with respect to a patient's vasculature. A patient vessel tree volume is co-registered with a live fluoroscopic image of a percutaneously-inserted instrument, such as a guidewire. The fluoroscopic image is segmented to eliminate images of surrounding tissue and to retain the guidewire image. The black pixels of the image are backprojected to the focal point of the x-ray source, through the co-registered vessel tree. The vessel tree is divided into segments that are scored based on proximity to the backprojected black pixels. Candidate instrument-containing vessel paths are identified based on the scores of the segments, and errant candidate vessel paths are eliminated to produce a refined list of candidate paths. Thresholding and visualization are performed to further refine the candidate vessel paths. 3D curve fitting is used to reconstruct an image of the instrument along with a 3D rendering of the final vessel path.

11-12-2009

20090279766

EVALUATION METHOD FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL FLUOROSCOPY IMAGES OF AN EXAMINATION OBJECT WITH TIME-CODED DISPLAY OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTIONS - A computer receives a plurality of two-dimensional fluoroscopy images of an examination object, capture time points and projection parameters and combines the images into image groups. Each image group contains all the images, the capture time point of which is between a minimum and a maximum time point specific to the respective image group. When the image groups are sorted by ascending minimum time points, the corresponding maximum time points form a strictly monotonously ascending order. The respective minimum and maximum time points are determined so that the computer reconstructs a three-dimensional object reconstruction of the examination object based on the images assigned to the respective image group. A respective two-dimensional reconstruction display is determined by the respective three-dimensional object reconstruction and outputted to a user in a coding specific to the respective image group by a display device.

11-12-2009

20090238433

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY DETECTING COLLIMATION EDGES - A method for automatically detecting a collimation edge or region includes reading an image captured by an X-ray imaging system, detecting intersection points between a foreground and a background and between a foreground and a tissue on the X-ray image, and performing a Hough transform or Radon transform on the detected intersection points to form collimation edge lines interconnecting the foreground and the background, and the foreground and the tissue, respectively.

09-24-2009

20100246925

DYNAMIC IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM - It is possible to improve a diagnostic performance by a dynamic image and in particular, to provide information effective for diagnosis of the lung ventilation function. Provided is a dynamic image capturing system including: a calculation device which calculates a dynamic feature amount according to a plurality of frame images of the dynamic image captured by an imaging device; and a diagnosis console which displays the frame images of the captured dynamic image as a dynamic image display or a still image display on a display screen of a display unit and colors at least one of the frame images with a color in accordance with a calculation result of a feature amount obtained by the calculation device. In the diagnosis of the lung ventilation function, the breast portion of an examinee is dynamically imaged over a plurality of time phases to calculate a feature amount and an estimated ventilation amount at each of the time phases, so that the calculation results are displayed on the display screen.

09-30-2010

20100246924

MAMMARY GLAND CONTENT RATE ESTIMATING APPARATUS, METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A mammary gland content rate estimating apparatus, includes: a breast image acquiring device which acquires a breast image obtained by radiographing a breast by a mammography imaging apparatus; an adipose image estimating device which estimates an adipose image from the acquired breast image based on an assumption that an entire breast is composed of only adipose tissues; a device which acquires a pixel value of a directly irradiated region from the acquired breast image; and a mammary gland content rate calculating device which calculates a mammary gland content rate for each of pixels in the breast image based on the acquired breast image, the estimated adipose image and the acquired pixel value of the directly irradiated region. Accordingly, without requiring complicated calibration in advance, the mammary gland content rate can be estimated for each of pixels easily and precisely.

09-30-2010

20100246923

SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE TRUE DIMENSIONS AND ORIENTATION OF OBJECTS IN A TWO DIMENSIONAL IMAGE - The invention is a system for measuring the true dimensions and orientation of objects in a two dimensional image. The system is comprised of a ruler comprising at least one set of features each comprised of two or more markers that are identifiable in the image and having known spatial relationship between them and a software package comprising programs that allow extension of the ruler and other objects in the two dimensional image beyond their physical dimensions or shape. The system can be used together with radiographic imagery means, processing means, and display means to take x-ray images and to measure the true dimensions and orientation of objects and to aid in the identification and location of a surgery tool vs. anatomy in those x-ray images. The invention provides a method of drawing and displaying on a two dimensional x-ray image measurements of objects visible in said image, graphical information, or templates of surgical devices.

09-30-2010

20100246922

Image correction method and image correction device - An image correction method comprises the steps of: median-processing the original image in a direction normal to a direction in which the streak unevenness extends to produce a median-processed image, subtracting the median-processed image from the original image to produce a subtraction image, threshold-processing a part of the subtraction image having a density exceeding a given threshold to reduce the density and produce a threshold-processed image, frequency-processing the threshold-processed image using a one-dimensional low-pass filter in the direction in which the streak unevenness extends to produce a processing image, and subtracting the processing image from the original image to remove the streak unevenness from the original image.

09-30-2010

20100246921

Radiographic image correction method and radiographic imaging apparatus - A radiographic image correction method comprises the steps of: previously producing and storing a preparatory image by removing a radiographic image without the subject obtained by radiography using one of a plurality of target/filter combinations causing a least significant inconsistent density from a radiographic image without the subject obtained by radiography using one of the target/filter combinations causing a most significant inconsistent density, producing and storing a first correction image without the subject obtained by radiography using the target/filter combination causing the least significant inconsistent density, and combining the first correction image with the preparatory image to produce and store a second correction image, and correcting shading of a radiographic image obtained by radiographing the subject by removing one of the first and the second correction image depending upon the target/filter combination used for radiographing the subject from the radiographic image obtained by radiographing the subject.

09-30-2010

20100329534

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF X-RAY IMAGES FOR A THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION - A method and an X-ray image acquisition system for the acquisition of X-ray images of a region of interest of an examination object from a multiplicity of angles of view for an 3-D image reconstruction are provided. The X-ray image acquisition system comprises an X-ray focus and an X-ray detector, which can be separately positioned and oriented relative to each other. The X-ray focus is moved along a combination of straight line segments and/or arc segments for the acquisition of X-ray images. The X-ray detector is oriented relative to the X-ray focus and moved in such a way that the region of interest is projected completely onto the X-ray detector upon each image acquisition.

12-30-2010

20130058557

DYNAMIC IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM - It is possible to improve a diagnostic performance by a dynamic image and in particular, to provide information effective for diagnosis of the lung ventilation function. Provided is a dynamic image capturing system (

03-07-2013

20090016593

IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD UTILIZING PRIMARY RADIATION - An imaging system and method for producing an image based on primary radiation. A separate image based solely on scattered radiation may also be obtained and may be of practical interests. The separation of primary and scattered radiation is achieved by utilizing a small beam exposure and a cone beam exposure, then the primary and scatter images are reconstructed based on a pencil beam model or from a Monte Carlo method. Other embodiments disclosed include two-layer detector arrays or volumetric detector arrays that measure the relationship between the dose and the position, from which the primary and scattered radiation can be extracted. In addition, by limiting a readout time of a detector, primary radiation component may be read because of a delay in the scattered radiation.

01-15-2009

20130259355

METHOD FOR DETERMINING AN ARTIFACT-REDUCED THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE DATA SET AND X-RAY DEVICE - A method of determining an artifact-reduced three-dimensional reconstructed image data set includes a plurality of projection images of a primary data set, which show a head of a patient together with at least one neurosurgical apparatus generating artifacts in a three-dimensional reconstruction. The projection images of the primary data set are captured using different projection directions by an X-ray device having a C-arm. With regard to a reduction of artifacts, a projection image based correction is based upon projection images of a mask data set which show the neurosurgical apparatus without the head of the patient or the head of the patient without the neurosurgical apparatus.

10-03-2013

20090010520

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus characterized by including a device which recognizes, in a bone part unit, a bone area extracted from a medical image and including a bone region constituted of several bone parts, a device which is used to select the bone region to be displayed, a device which is used to determine the bone parts corresponding to the selected bone region, a device which is used to determine a viewpoint and a sight line direction for observing the selected bone region, a device which generates a volume rendering image which displays the bone area with the viewpoint and the sight line direction, based on the bone area of the medical image recognized in the bone part unit, and the determined viewpoint and sight line direction, and a device which is used to conduct control to display the generated volume rendering image.

01-08-2009

20120114215

Data Management System for Use in Angiographic X-ray Imaging - A data management system automatically manages image buffers to produce images for angiography using a first memory portion, a second memory portion and an image data processor. The first memory portion stores first image frame data representing minimum luminance values of individual pixels of a sequence of medical images. The second memory portion stores second image frame data comprising a difference between the minimum luminance values and corresponding maximum luminance values. The image data processor processes data representing an acquired X-ray image frame of a catheterized vessel using a stored frame of maximum or minimum pixel luminance values and the second image frame data to provide an image with enhanced visualization of a catheter in a vessel.

05-10-2012

20120114214

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING SUBJECT MATTER IN VIEW DATA - In one aspect, a method and apparatus for detecting subject matter of interest in view data obtained by scanning an object including generating a filter adapted to respond to the subject matter of interest, splatting the filter onto a portion of the view data to provide a filter splat, and performing at least one operation on the portion of the view data using the filter splat to facilitate determining whether the subject matter of interest is present in the portion of the view data.

05-10-2012

20100119140

ARTIFACT SUPPRESSION IN DIAGNOSTIC IMAGES - A method of reducing artifacts in a digital radiographic image identifies either a row or column direction for the artifacts in the image data as a predominant direction and obtains a measurement of the image data frequency content that is subject to artifacts from the image content according to the predominant direction. The measurement of image data frequency content subject to the artifacts is tested according to a predetermined threshold. Artifacts are reduced when the predetermined threshold is exceeded by generating one or more suppression factors according to the testing results, decomposing the image content into at least two frequency bands in each row and column direction, applying the one or more suppression factors to modify at least one of the frequency bands, and recomposing the image content by recombining the at least one modified frequency band with one or more other bands into which the image had been decomposed.

LINE STRUCTURE DETECTION AND ANALYSIS FOR MAMMOGRAPHY CAD - A method for image linear structure detection in medical imaging. The method includes locating microcalcification (mcc) candidate spots in a mammographic image; forming candidate clusters; assigning ranks to the candidate clusters; identifying linear structures in the neighborhood where the candidate clusters reside; and altering the ranks of the candidate clusters for which linear structures have been identified in the neighborhood.

02-12-2009

20110280465

Breast Segmentation in Radiographic Images - An image segmentation embodiment comprises generating a start model comprising a set of model points approximating an outline of an object in an initial image, smoothing the image at a first smoothing level, generating a curvature image by applying a second derivative operator, locating second derivative local maxima in the curvature image that are orthogonal to a respective model point and within a search region having a first boundary on one side of the start model and a second boundary on an opposite side of the start model, generating a set of contours, shifting the start model to an outer boundary of the contours, and generating a segmentation mask of the object based on the shifted start model.

11-17-2011

20110280464

Image Processing Method and Computer Program - To assign angle-dependent information to an input image in order to highlight and display one-dimensional patterns. First, data of an input image is inputted to a computer (Sa

11-17-2011

20110280463

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An image processing method is provided including a band image generation step for generating band images through extracting a portion of frequency components in a source image having a subject image falling thereon; a lowest-frequency image generation step for generating a lowest-frequency image having a lowest-frequency component extracted from the source image; a lowest-frequency image control step for performing conversion processing to the lowest-frequency image in accordance with a lowest-frequency function to generate a lowest-frequency controlled image; a controlled band image generation step for performing conversion processing to the band image in accordance with a high-frequency function, that is different from the lowest-frequency function, to generate a controlled band image; and an image processing step for performing dynamic range compression processing to the source image using the lowest-frequency controlled image and the controlled band image.

11-17-2011

20090220138

FAST PREPROCESSING ALGORITHMS FOR DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY CAD AND WORKSTATION - A method and apparatus are disclosed for an image preprocessing device that automatically detects chestwall laterality; removes border artifacts; and segments breast tissue and pectoral muscle from digital mammograms. The algorithms in the preprocessing device utilize the computer cache, a vertical Sobel filter and a probabilistic Hough transform to detect curved edges. The preprocessing result, along with a pseudo-modality normalized image, can be used as input to a CAD (computer-aided detection) server or to a mammography image review workstation. In the case of workstation input, the preprocessing results improve the protocol for chestwall-to-chestwall image hanging, and support optimal image contrast display of each segmented region.

09-03-2009

20100266189

MULTI-SCALE IMAGE NORMALIZATION AND ENHANCEMENT - An image may be processed to normalize and/or remove noise from the image. The processing of the image may involve decomposition of the image into multiple components and subsequent gray scale registration across multiple scales.

10-21-2010

20130094748

DENTAL IMAGING USING SEGMENTATION AND AN ARCH - A method and a system for generating an image by obtaining x-ray image data, segmenting the x-ray image data into a first portion above a vertical threshold and a second portion below the vertical threshold. Further, the method and the system include generating an arch for the second plurality of slices, and generating an image based on the arch.

04-18-2013

20090285468

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image acquisition unit acquires an X-ray image obtained by irradiating a subject with an X-ray and a dark image obtained without irradiating the X-ray. A dark correction mode input unit inputs a dark correction mode for correcting the X-ray image using the dark image. A control unit sets a noise suppression parameter according to the dark correction mode received from the dark correction mode input unit. A dark correction unit corrects the X-ray image based on dark image according to the dark correction mode received from the dark correction mode input unit. A noise suppression unit performs noise suppression processing on the X-ray image corrected by the dark correction unit, using the noise suppression parameter received from the control unit.

11-19-2009

20110142323

METHOD FOR DETECTION OF LINEAR STRUCTURES AND MICROCALCIFICATIONS IN MAMMOGRAPHIC IMAGES - A method for detecting a linear structure in a digital mammographic image, using a processor or computer at least in part, locates at least one microcalcification candidate cluster in the image data and extracts a first region of interest that encloses the at least one microcalcification candidate cluster. The first region of interest is processed to identify feature points that correspond to geometric structures in the first region of interest. A linear detection algorithm is applied by a repeated process that selects a line model from a predefined set of line models and analyzes the line model to determine whether a linear structure is present in the first region of interest.

06-16-2011

20090208087

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE CORRECTION METHOD, APPARATUS AND RECORDING-MEDIUM STORED THEREIN PROGRAM - Unevenness in the density of a radiographic image of a subject that has been obtained by outputting radiation from a radiation output unit toward the subject and by detecting the radiation at a radiographic image detector is corrected. An area that has substantially the same density throughout the area when the radiation output by the radiation output unit is uniform with respect to the entire area of the radiographic image detector and that is present in a subject-image-present area is obtained from the radiographic image. Further, the pixel values of the radiographic image are corrected by using pixel values of the obtained area.

08-20-2009

20100232673

REDUCTION OF ARTIFACTS CAUSED BY MOVEMENT OF AN X-RAY TUBE IN OBJECT RECONSTRUCTION - An improvement in image quality when determining an image using iterative reconstruction is provided by taking account of focus shifts. In order to take into consideration the influence of focus shift in calculated projections, several different projections are calculated for each section of the focus path on a section-by-section basis. The several different calculated projections for a section are averaged for comparison with a projection recorded in the section. Improved image quality is provided, for example, in tomosynthesis applications in which a large number of recordings are made with a stationary detector.

09-16-2010

20110293164

X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS - An X-ray imaging apparatus is configured to subtract a first X-ray image from a second X-ray image to generate a first subtraction image showing information on a blood vessel, calculate an amount of pixel shift between the first X-ray image and the third X-ray image, subtract the first X-ray image from the third X-ray image to generate a second subtraction image showing information on an insertion instrument, and combine the first subtraction image with the second subtraction image to generate a synthetic image by performing a pixel shift correction based on the amount of pixel shift.

12-01-2011

20110293163

System for Detecting an Invasive Anatomical Instrument - A system identifies a stent in an image using luminance density and anatomical information. An X-ray imaging system automatically detects and indicates location of an invasive anatomical device in an image. An interface acquires, data representing X-ray images of patient vessels and data identifying a particular vessel containing a medical device. An image data processor employs a model of anatomical vessels to select a region of interest in a vessel identified by the acquired data and automatically determines a location of the medical device in an acquired image by determining at least a portion of an outline of the medical device by detecting a luminance transition in the acquired image using an image edge detector. A display processor initiates generation of data depicting location of the medical device in the acquired image in response to determining the at least a portion of the outline of the medical device.

12-01-2011

20110293162

Medical Image Processing and Registration System - An image data subtraction system enhances visualization of vessels subject to movement using an imaging system. The imaging system acquires data representing first and second anatomical image sets comprising multiple temporally sequential individual mask (without contrast agent) and fill images (with contrast agent) of vessels respectively, during multiple heart cycles. An image data processor automatically identifies temporally corresponding pairs of images comprising a mask image and a contrast enhanced image and for the corresponding pairs, automatically determines a shift of a contrast enhanced image relative to a mask image to compensate for motion induced image mis-alignment. The image data processor automatically shifts a contrast enhanced image relative to a mask image in response to the determined shift. The image data processor subtracts data representing a mask image of a corresponding pair from a shifted contrast enhanced image of the corresponding pair, to provide multiple subtracted images showing enhanced visualization of vessels.

12-01-2011

20100074505

Radiographic image detection apparatus - In a radiographic image detection apparatus that can perform long-size radiography on a region of a patient that is larger than the detection range of a radiographic image detector, radiography is performed so that a collimator image is included in a radiographic image in such a manner that the collimator image is present in the vicinity of a side edge of the radiographic image. Further, the inclination of each radiographic image caused by inclination of the radiographic image detector at the time of radiography is corrected based on the collimator image. Further, a synthesis image is produced by combining the plurality of radiographic images the inclination of which has been corrected.

03-25-2010

20110286653

METHOD FOR PROCESSING RADIOLOGICAL IMAGES TO DETERMINE A 3D POSITION OF A NEEDLE - A method to process images for interventional imaging, wherein a 3D image of an object is visualized with a medical imaging system, the medical imaging system comprising an X-ray source and a detector, is provided. The method comprises acquiring a plurality of 2D-projected images of the object along a plurality of orientations of the imaging chain, wherein a rectilinear instrument has been inserted into the object. The method also comprises determining a 3D reconstruction of the instrument such that a plurality of 2D projections of the 3D image of the instrument, along the respective orientations in the 2D-projected images of the object were acquired, are closest to the acquired 2D-projected images of the object. The method further comprises superimposing the 3D reconstruction of the instrument over the 3D image of the object so as to obtain a 3D image comprising the object and the instrument.

11-24-2011

20100061615

System for Removing Static Background Detail From Medical Image Sequences - A system determines static background medical image data by receiving pixel luminance data comprising multiple sequential medical images of a patient anatomical portion and luminance data of an individual image that comprises multiple pixel luminance representative values of multiple individual pixels of the individual image. A filter includes a first filter function having a first response time for filtering received luminance representative values of a particular individual pixel varying in response to a first motion disturbance in the multiple sequential medical images for use in identifying a substantially minimum luminance value of the particular individual pixel in the multiple sequential medical images. The filter filters luminance representative values of individual pixels of the multiple sequential medical images to identify substantially minimum luminance values of individual pixels in the multiple sequential medical images as background image data of the multiple sequential medical images.

03-11-2010

20100098316

Dynamic biplane roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis - A medical imaging system comprising an x-ray image detector mounted on a robotic arm and an x-ray generator mounted opposite the x-ray image detector. The robotic arm includes two pivots and a plurality of telescoping segments to adjust the height and angle of the x-ray image detector. In some embodiments, the medical imaging system includes a second x-ray image detector and a second x-ray generator and is capable of capturing biplane stereophotogrammetric images.

04-22-2010

20100098313

RIBCAGE SEGMENTATION - A technique for segmenting a ribcage, e.g., in a chest radiograph, may involve determining whether or not the top of the image cuts through the lungs. The process may then proceed to segment the top and the sides of the ribcage. A dynamic programming technique may be used to perform the segmentation.

Method And Apparatus For Reconstructing Solder Joints Using Constrained X-ray Photogrammetry - A photogrammetry system is provided, for examining a feature of interest of a workpiece, the feature of interest having a first constraint. The system comprises a library of constraints, including the known constraint of the feature of interest, a scanner for scanning the workpiece to obtain a scan of the feature of interest, a selector for selecting the one of the set of constraints from the library; and an analyzer, coupled to receive the scan of the feature from the scanner and to receive the one of the set of constraints from the selector, the analyzer including a processor for performing an analysis of the scan and the first constraint, to produce an examination result for the feature of interest.

02-11-2010

20090087067

Displaying breast tomosynthesis computer-aided detection results - Methods, systems, and related computer program products for processing and displaying computer-aided detection (CAD) results in conjunction with breast x-ray tomosynthesis data are described. For one preferred embodiment, as a user pages through a notional stack of tomosynthesis reconstructed slice images (Tr images), including a detection-containing Tr image on which a CAD marker is to be displayed at an identified coordinate location, one or more CAD proximity markers is displayed at that coordinate location on one or more neighboring Tr images. While not themselves indicative of CAD findings on their respective Tr images, the CAD proximity markers encourage user attention toward the coordinate location of the CAD detection marker of the detection-containing Tr image. Preferably, the CAD proximity markers are of noticeably different size from each other and from the CAD detection marker to promote their perception in the peripheral vision of the user during the paging process.

04-02-2009

20110268340

METHOD TO PROCESS RADIOLOGICAL IMAGES - A method to process radiological images is provided. The method comprises partitioning a radiological image of a region to be treated into a superimposition of layers, the region to be treated comprising at least one first structure and a second structure, wherein one layer solely comprises part of the first structure to be isolated from the remainder of the image, the layer solely comprising that part of the first structure to be isolated from the remainder of the image being determined by means of a parametric model of the first structure. The method further comprises determining an image of the region to be treated from the layering thus obtained, in which the isolated part of the first structure is omitted.

11-03-2011

20090148023

System for Adaptively Processing Medical Image Data - A system locally allocates relatively higher and lower spatial resolution areas of a medical X-ray image in response to image spatial resolution requirements of individual sections of a partitioned image. A system processes image data by adaptively varying pixel resolution within a 2D (two Dimensional) X-ray medical image. The system includes an imaging detector comprising a matrix array of detection picture elements having a detector pixel resolution for detecting X-rays passed through patient anatomy. An image data processor determines a first area within a 2D image to be allocated a first pixel resolution and a second area within the 2D image to be allocated a second pixel resolution lower than the first resolution. A combinational processor combines image data of multiple adjacent detection picture elements to provide an individual pixel of the second pixel resolution. A user interface generates data representing a 2D X-ray medical image including the first area having the first pixel resolution and the second area having the second pixel resolution lower than the first resolution.

06-11-2009

20090310846

Apparatus and Method for Selectively Generating Graphic Medical Records from Continuous Multiplanar Viewing - An apparatus and method for manipulating three dimensional image data. The apparatus takes each multiplanar view (MPR) obtained by a medical imaging device, such as an x-ray machine, of an area of the patient being examined and automatically “slices” the view in each direction sequentially. Each “slice” is then displayed to the user in order to make a running video. The user is allowed to stop the process when he or she sees the clearest view of the examined area of the patient and may save that image in a static computer record. Alternatively, the user may select to display a corresponding two dimensional x-ray image at that selected view. The user may then allow the video to continue to run and repeat the process for other selected views. The software automatically makes every relevant “slice” from every relevant view, allowing the user to stop, slow down, or back up when nearing a view which is desired to be studied or saved.

12-17-2009

20090141958

IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREPARING X-RAY IMAGES AND OPTICAL IMAGES - In an imaging system and method for preparing x-ray images and optical images, at least two x-ray images of an examination subject are acquired by emitting x-rays from at least two different x-ray image acquisition points in space. At least two optical exposures are acquired from the examination subject at respective optical exposure origination points that respectively optically correspond to the x-ray image acquisition points. The optical exposures and the x-ray images are superimposed so that each optical image is superimposed with the x-ray image that originated from an x-ray image origination point corresponding to the optical exposure origination point of that optical exposure.

06-04-2009

20080267484

Ultra Low Radiation Dose X-Ray CT Scanner - A line scan cone beam CT imaging system irradiates an object with an x-ray cone beam for multiple views. A projection data set of the object is acquired at each view. Between views, the cone beam and detector array are translated along parallel lines in opposite directions. An image is generated by converting the cone beam projection data set of the real object into a parallel-beam projection data set corresponding to a virtual object and using a total variation minimization image reconstruction algorithm to reconstruct a virtual image of the virtual object. The reconstruction algorithm includes the constraint that the Fourier transform of the reconstructed virtual image matches the known Fourier coefficients in the set of converted parallel-beam projections of the virtual object. The constructed virtual image is then transformed into an image of the real object.

10-30-2008

20090214100

X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An X-ray image processing apparatus includes a site information determination unit configured to determine, based on discrete site information, continuous site information to be obtained by radiographing a moving image, an information acquisition unit configured to extract, from the discrete site information, image construction information, image processing method information, and X-ray exposure control method information, a computation unit configured to compute processing information about a site located between positions represented by the discrete site information using the information extracted by the information acquisition unit, an image processing unit configured to perform image processing based on the processing information which is computed by the computation unit, and an X-ray exposure control unit configured to perform X-ray exposure based on the processing information which is computed by the computation unit.

08-27-2009

20090087073

Radiation imaging apparatus - A radiation imaging apparatus reads out image signals from a radiation detecting section that detects radiation which has passed through a subject, and outputs the read out image signals as wireless signals. The signal strength of communications of a cassette transmitter/receiver is set to be lower during readout of the image signals than the signal strength of communications of the cassette transmitter/receiver at times other than during readout of image signals.

04-02-2009

20090087072

Method and system for diaphragm segmentation in chest X-ray radiographs - A method and system for segmenting diaphragm regions in a chest X-ray radiograph is disclosed. The diaphragm regions are segmented based on left and right lung lobe regions and a heart region in the chest X-ray radiograph. A right diaphragm region is segmented in the chest X-ray radiograph based a boundary of the right lung lobe. A left diaphragm region is segmented in the chest X-ray radiograph based on the heart region and a boundary of the left lung lobe.

04-02-2009

20090087070

Method and system for bone suppression based on a single x-ray image - A method and system for suppressing bone structures based on a single x-ray image is disclosed. The bone structure suppressing method predicts a soft-tissue image without bone structures from an input x-ray image. A set of features is extracted for each pixel of the input x-ray image. A soft-tissue image is then generated from the input x-ray image using a trained regression function to determine an intensity value for the soft-tissue image corresponding to each pixel of the input x-ray image based on the set of features extracted for each pixel of the input x-ray image. The extracted features can be wavelet features and the regression function can be trained using Bayesian Committee Machine (BCM) to approximate Gaussian process regression (GPR).

04-02-2009

20090087068

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - In an X-ray diagnostic apparatus, a volume 3D image in which a desired blood vessel center line has been extracted is stored in a CT 3D image storage unit, and an X-ray two-dimensional image updated in real time is stored in an X-ray 2D image storage unit. The three-dimensional image is aligned with the X-ray two-dimensional image in an alignment unit. Further, a distal end position of a device and a position thereof after a predetermined time are searched for in a search unit, and the distal end position of the device in the three-dimensional image is calculated in a computing unit. Then, a cross-sectional image of the three-dimensional image is displayed on a monitor.

04-02-2009

20120128226

AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF CONTRAST INJECTION - A method for automatically detecting the presence of contrast in an x-ray image includes acquiring an x-ray image prior to administration of contrast. A background image is estimated based on the x-ray image. The contrast is administered. A set of x-ray images is acquired. The background image is subtracted from the set of images. Image intensity is determined for each of the subtracted images. The subtracted images having highest image intensity are selected. A predefined shape model is fitted to the selected subtracted images. The fitting of the predefined shape model is used to fit the shape model to each of the subtracted images. A feature value is calculated for each image frame based on pixel intensities of each pixel fitted to the shape model for the corresponding subtracted image. An image frame of peak contrast is determined by selecting the image frame with the greatest feature value.

05-24-2012

20090169088

METHOD FOR OPERATING AN X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING QUALITY VALUES - A method for checking an x-ray diagnostic apparatus is provided. Fluoroscopic series of x-ray images of a technical phantom are digitally acquired and stored. Difference between a dynamic image and a background image is calculated. A measuring field is predicted. Priori information about the shape of a clinically relevant object is determined. Hough transformation on a gray value image corresponding to the difference is applied. Contrast of the object from the Hough-transformed gray value image is determined. A square of the determined contrast is calculated. A noise variance is calculated by determining a sum of a noise variance of a homogenous image region and a variance of the background image. A contrast-to-noise ratio of the determined contrast and the calculated noise variance is determined. A square of the contrast-to-noise ratio is dynamically averaged. A Clinical Relevant Fluoroscopy Performance index for the x-ray diagnostic apparatus is determined.

07-02-2009

20090092308

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF AUTOMATIC ESTIMATION OF ARTERIAL INPUT FUNCTION FOR EVALUATION OF BLOOD FLOW - A system and method of determining hemodynamic parameters of a patient is described. A background image data set is obtained prior to the administration of a contrast agent. A series of image data sets is obtained during the first passage of the bolus through a parenchymal volume. The pre-contrast-agent image is subtracted from image data sets obtained during the first passage of the contrast agent bolus, so that the amount of contrast agent in the volume may be determined. The time series of the amount of contrast agent is computed to determine the arterial input function (AIF) which may be used to determine a tissue impulse response, and hemodynamic parameters such as cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV) and mean transit time (MTT).

04-09-2009

20120106820

RECONSTRUCTION STABILIZER AND ACTIVE VISION - A method for stabilizing the reconstruction of an imaged volume is presented. The method includes the steps of performing an analysis of the reliability of reconstruction of a radioactive-emission density distribution of the volume from radiation detected over a specified set of views, and defining modifications to the reconstruction process and/or data collection process to improve the reliability of reconstruction, in accordance with the analysis.

05-03-2012

20120106819

METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING THE RELATIVE POSE OF AN IMPLANT AND A BONE OF A CREATURE - A method and a system assess a relative pose of an implant and a bone of a patient. The method includes: acquiring multiple medical X-ray images of the bone with the implant preliminarily mounted to the bone; providing a database of virtual 3D implant models and selecting the implant used; fitting the virtual implant to the medical X-ray image; selecting a bone model; and fitting the chosen bone model to the medical X-ray image. The system and method now allow directly in the operation room to assess the relative pose of the implant and the bone/bone fragments by a comparison of the medical image and the respective virtual image both having the same orientation in view. The resulting image is an image of the matching virtual 2D image of the implant used and the real medical image taken from the C-arm X-ray device.

05-03-2012

20110268341

Method for Reconstruction of a Current Three-Dimensional Image Dataset of an Object During a Monitoring Process and X-Ray Device - A method for reconstruction of an actual three-dimensional image dataset of an object during a monitoring process is proposed. Two-dimensional. X-ray projection images which correspond to a recording geometry are continuously recorded from different projection angles. The three-dimensional image dataset are reconstructed from a first number of these projection images, especially by a back projection method. The proportion of the oldest projection image contained in the current three-dimensional image dataset is removed from the three-dimensional image dataset and the proportion of the actual projection image is inserted in the three-dimensional image dataset after each recording of the actual projection image.

11-03-2011

20090279765

System for Identifying Medical Images Having a Particular Medical Characteristic - A system identifies a particular image associated with a particular cardiac characteristic from within a sequence of cardiac images including image noise artifacts and obtained over a heart beat cycle. The system comprises at least one repository including, first data comprising heart cycle information derived from ECG data, second data comprising data representing multiple images acquired over at least one heart cycle and third data comprising data associated with timing of contrast agent flow. An image data processor identifies a particular image exhibiting a particular cardiac characteristic from within a sequence of cardiac images by processing the first, second and third data to identify an image having a substantially maximum likelihood of exhibiting the particular cardiac characteristic. A storage processor retrieves data representing the particular image from storage.

11-12-2009

20090080753

Radiography image processing method - A radiography image processing method includes obtaining an image of a body being examined. The intensity of each of a plurality of areas of the image are determined and the intensity of each of the plurality of areas of the image are used to determined a respective contrast range to be applied selectively to each of said areas of the image. The determined contrast range is then applied to each of said areas of the image thereby to obtain a processed image having relatively uniform contrast ranges in areas of differing intensity.

03-26-2009

20090041328

Feature Processing For Lung Nodules In Computer Assisted Diagnosis - Feature processing is provided for lung nodules in computer-assisted diagnosis. A feature that may better distinguish nodules from background is extracted using a Hough transform. Rather than relying on a specific boundary shape, the Hough transform accumulates evidence associated with a region, such as a ring region. The accumulated evidence provides a feature score without requiring a nodule to fit a specific shape. In another approach, a background level is determined from extracted features. Rather than attempting to normalize an image prior to extraction, the features are normalized. The feature normalization and generalized Hough transform extraction may be used together or alone.

02-12-2009

20090310847

MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND X-RAY DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - A medical image processing apparatus includes an image storage unit which stores the data of a three-dimensional image associated with an object receiving an operation using a lumen insertion device, a lumen detection unit which detects a lumen centerline associated with a specific lumen from the three-dimensional image, a current position specifying unit which specifies the current position of the lumen insertion device based on the insertion distance from a reference position associated with the lumen insertion device and the detected lumen centerline, a cross-sectional image generating unit which creates, from the data of the three-dimensional image, the data of a cross-sectional image associated with a cross-section passing through at least one of the current position and an expected insertion position located ahead of the current position, and a display unit which displays the generated data of the cross-sectional image.

12-17-2009

20080205738

Method and Apparatus for Calibration and Correction of Gray Levels in Images - A method and apparatus for calibrating an apparatus that acquires a sequence of radiographic images and correcting images of an object under observation. For each image of a sequence acquired by the apparatus and for a given frequency of acquisition of the sequence, the apparatus is calibrated by determining the value of the variation of a mean of gray levels in at least one zone of interest of the current image of at least one calibration device, the variation being determined relative to the mean gray level of the first image of the sequence in each zone of interest. The determination of the variation is reiterated for a series of images sequences acquired using calibration devices resulting in first images of mean gray levels different from one sequence to another. Each image of an image sequence of the object under observation is corrected, comprising zones of observation having different gray levels by subtracting from the current image the variation of one gray level relative to the first image of the object, the subtraction being a function of the gray level considered from each zone of observation.

08-28-2008

20100128956

PET SCANNER AND IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION METHOD THEREOF - A plurality of detector rings in which detectors arranged densely or spatially in a ring shape or in a polygonal shape are arranged, with an open space kept in the body axis direction, coincidences are measured for some of or all of detector pairs connecting the detector rings apart from the open space to perform three-dimensional image reconstruction, thereby imaging the open space between the detector rings as a tomographic image. Therefore, the open space is secured, with the deteriorated quality of an image suppressed, thus making it possible to easily gain access to a patient under PET scanning from outside a gantry and also provide irradiation of particle beams for cancer treatment as well as X-ray CT scanning.

05-27-2010

20120294505

METHOD FOR DETECTING ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES - A method for estimating the location of an anatomical structure in an x-ray image of a patient obtains the x-ray data in digital format. The method estimates the location of at least a first benchmark feature within the x-ray image according to the obtained digital x-ray data and defines a region of interest within the image according to the estimated location of at least the first benchmark feature. A region of interest for the anatomical structure is searched using a template. The location of the anatomical structure on a display according to the template searching results is highlighted.

11-22-2012

20120294504

METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN IMAGE DATA RECORD WITH SUPPRESSED ALIASING ARTIFACTS OVERLAPPING THE FIELD OF VIEW AND X-RAY IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - A method is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes obtaining an x-ray image data record with respect to the biological object by way of the x-ray image recording apparatus; obtaining a comparison image data record with respect to the biological object relating to a three-dimensional surface structure of the biological object; assigning data of the comparison image data record to data of the x-ray image data record by determining a predeterminable geometric assignment rule; and extending and/or amending data of the x-ray image data record as a function of data of the comparison image data record for at least one part of such data of the x-ray image data record, which can be assigned to an aliasing artifact overlapping the field of view.

11-22-2012

20080285836

Image processing device, image processing method and program storage medium - An image processing device is provided that corrects image data obtained by sequentially reading out as a current, charges from unit regions from a radiographic image detector provided with signal lines extending along a predetermined direction. The correction includes estimating the respective leakage current superimposed on the read-out current when the charge is read out from a target unit region using a leakage current estimation equation, formed from a single exponential function or from a sum of plural exponential functions, for respective leakage currents of unit regions that are positioned along the same signal line as that of the target unit region and whose charges are in an unread state when the charge is being read out from the target unit region, and correcting the image data corresponding to the target unit region on the basis of the leakage current estimate result.

11-20-2008

20110013819

BREAST TISSUE DENSITY MEASURE - A method of processing a mammogram image to derive a value for a parameter useful in detecting differences in breast tissue in subsequent images of the same breast or relative to a control group of such images, said derived parameter being an aggregate probability score reflecting the probability of the image being a member of a predefined class of mammogram images, comprises computing for each of a multitude of pixels within a large region of interest within the image a pixel probability score assigned by a trained statistical classifier according to the probability of said pixel belonging to an image belonging to said class, said pixel probability being calculated on the basis of a selected plurality of features of said pixels, and computing said parameter by aggregating the pixel probability scores over said region of interest. Saud features may include the 3-jet of said pixels.

01-20-2011

20100278414

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING PREFERRED ALIGNMENTS OF A TREATMENT BEAM GENERATOR - The present invention relates to a method for determining preferred alignments of a treatment beam generator, which is suitable for irradiating an object, relative to a body, wherein the visibility of the object in at least one image is taken into account when determining the preferred alignments, wherein the image is obtained by means of at least one imaging device, the position of which relative to the treatment beam generator is known and invariable.

11-04-2010

20100142793

Facilitating Computer-Aided Detection, Comparison and/or Display of Medical Images - The present invention is methods for processing medical images so as to remove certain effects of the physical characteristics of the object being imaged and/or of the apparatus used to form the images. The invention further provides for the formation of a standardized image from the processed image and for the use of the standardized image or the processed image in the training of computer-aided detection/diagnosis algorithms. These algorithms may then be used to detect abnormalities in other standardized or processed images derived from any of a variety of image acquisition systems.

Method and system for scale-based vessel enhancement in X-ray angiography - A method and system for scale-based vessel enhancement in x-ray angiography images is disclosed. An input x-ray image is denoised. A lighting field is estimated in the denoised image. Vessels are extracted from the denoised image by dividing the denoised image by the estimated lighting field. Vessels are enhanced in the input x-ray image by linearly combining the extracted vessels with the input x-ray image, resulting in an enhanced image.

04-02-2009

20090129658

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER STORAGE MEDIUM - A feature value corresponding to each of a plurality of pixel values is calculated for an image. A pixel value is selected for which a minimum distance is obtained in a feature space between the calculated feature value and a feature value of a template. The selected pixel value is employed as a threshold value at which a subject area and a background area in the image are separated from each other.

05-21-2009

20090161939

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING FEATURES OF INTEREST FROM AN IMAGE - A technique is provided for extracting one or more features of interest from one or more projection images. The technique includes accessing projection images comprising at least one feature of interest enhanced by a contrast agent, generating a contrast agent null image based on the projection images, generating a bone mask based on the contrast agent null image, and generating a bone extracted image based on the bone mask.

06-25-2009

20090129657

ENHANCEMENT OF REGION OF INTEREST OF RADIOLOGICAL IMAGE - A method for displaying a radiographic image identifies a region of interest in a portion of the radiographic image, suppresses background image content within the identified region of interest, and enhances contrast of the image within the region of interest to form an enhanced region of interest. The enhanced region of interest is displayed within the remaining portion of the radiographic image.

05-21-2009

20090185733

Method and Apparatus for Processing Digital Mammographic Images - A method and apparatus for processing digital mammographic images. The method and apparatus providing comparable mammographic images regardless of the imaging device generating the raw mammographic images. The processed mammographic images may be displayed with optimal global and local contrast, enhanced sharpness, and without the need to apply window level settings or data from lookup tables. A second mammographic image is generated out of a processed first mammographic image in such a way that the projected object, the breast, is more perceptible and obvious for a physician or other medical professional reviewing the mammographic image.

07-23-2009

20130287282

IMAGE PROCESSING DISPLAY DEVICE AND AN IMAGE PROCESSING DISPLAY PROGRAM - To provide an image processing display and an image processing display program that is able to prevent interference with catheter treatment even when the distal end of a catheter is located behind a treatment apparatus on X-ray fluoroscopic images. The image processing display according to embodiments displays X-ray fluoroscopic images to be obtained by looking through a region including blood vessels using X-rays during treatment, and comprises a treatment apparatus image extractor and an image processor. The treatment apparatus image extractor, based on X-ray fluoroscopic images, extracts treatment apparatus images representing the treatment apparatus having the property of absorbing X-rays. The image processor determines the distal end position of the catheter to superimpose and display images representing the determined distal end position of the catheter on the region of the X-ray fluoroscopic images showing the treatment apparatus.

10-31-2013

20140355860

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A radiographic imaging control method includes combining a plurality of images by applying a first weight to the plurality of images, displaying a composite image, acquired by combining the plurality of images, newly receiving a second weight with respect to the composite image, recombining the plurality of images based on the received second weight, and displaying a recombined image, acquired by recombining the plurality of images.

12-04-2014

20130216117

METHOD OF NOISE REDUCTION IN DIGITAL X-RAYOGRAMS - The invention relates to the field of digital image processing and can find use in suppression of noise in digital images, formed by high-energy radiation, including X-ray radiation. Specifically, the invention relates to a method for suppression of noise in digital x-ray images. The objective of the invention is to provide a method for noise suppression in digital X-ray images that has extended functionality, specifically, a method that makes it possible to reduce residual noise level and amount of artifacts in the form of discontinuities, directed along local orientation of object borders in textured image areas, to reduce residual LF noise level, and to eliminate over-smoothing (excessive filtering) of fine details. The technical innovation achieved is the improvement of digital image processing quality.

Method for reproducing the spatial orientation of an immobilized subject in a multi-modal imaging system - Methods are disclosed for (A) adjusting the physical, spatial orientation of an immobilized subject in a multi-modal imaging system so as substantially to reproduce or match the physical, spatial orientation of a reference subject, wherein the reference subject is either (a) the same or (b) a different subject, either (1) during a prior imaging session for a later imaging session, or, in the case where a plurality of subjects is imaged in one imaging session, (2) during a contemporaneous imaging session; and (B) adjusting the virtual, spatial orientation of an immobilized subject in a set of multi-modal images.

09-24-2009

20150110380

Medical Image Processing Apparatus And Computer-Readable Storage Medium - A medical image processing apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium are shown. The medical image processing apparatus includes an emphasizing processing unit, a positioning unit, and a difference image generating unit. The emphasizing processing unit performs processing to emphasize a specific structure among structures composing a subject on each of a first image and a second image obtained by capturing the same subject at different points in time. The positioning unit matches a position of the specific structure in the first image and the second image based on the first image and the second image with the specific structure emphasized. The difference image generating unit generates a difference image between the first image and the second image with the position of the specific structure matched.

04-23-2015

20090136112

Method for the processing of images in interventional radioscopy - A method for the processing of images in interventional radioscopy to produce a sequence of de-noised images in which elongated objects of guiding instrumentation equipment are preserved and enhanced. The method of the invention uses a tool for indicating the confidence to be placed in a given pixel as regards its belonging to a piece of guidance equipment. This tool is used to create a combination algorithm capable of re-injecting the pixels having a low contrast-to-noise ratio into the de-noised image. This combination algorithm enables the enhancement solely of the pixels of the guidance equipment with a high confidence value so as not to produce artifacts with the enhancement of false positives.

05-28-2009

20110229007

TOMOSYNTHESIS METHOD WITH AN ITERATIVE MAXIMUM A POSTERIORI RECONSTRUCTION - In a maximum a posteriori tomosynthesis method to reconstruct a three-dimensional image from two-dimensional x-ray images, a Geman prior function to reduce the noise is used in which the edges and boundaries of tissue structures remain visible. The method is parameterized by the estimated noise value of the attenuation coefficients and the estimated average tissue attenuation value.

09-22-2011

20090252396

Image processing apparatus and image processing method, and recording medium - An image processing apparatus includes: an image obtaining device which obtains a breast image obtained by radiography of a breast; a mammary gland region extracting device which extracts a mammary gland region from the breast image; a local region setting device which sets a plurality of local regions around pixels belonging to the extracted mammary gland region; a local contrast value calculating device which calculates a plurality of local contrast values in a local regions, for each of the set plurality of local regions; and an image processing device which applies image processing to the breast image on the basis of the calculated plurality of local contrast values. Thus, considering a contrast between a mammary gland and a fat region, a stable image processing result can be obtained while enhancing viewability of a local mammary gland structure and a lesion.

10-08-2009

20090257638

Method and facility for visualizing an overlaid presentation of x-ray images - The invention relates to a method for visualizing an overlaid presentation of x-ray images. A first two-dimensional fluoroscopy image of an object of interest is provided. A second two-dimensional x-ray image of the object is intra-operatively recorded. A color is selected to a part of the first fluoroscopy image reproducing the object of interest. A complementary color corresponding to the selected color to the same part of the second fluoroscopy image reproducing the object is selected. The fluoroscopy images provided with the colors are overlaid. Deviations in the overlaid presentation remaining are identified with one of the added colors.

10-15-2009

20150049935

REGION EXTRACTION SYSTEM - Provided is a region extraction system that uses an image data analysis process, which has overcome the problem of false positives in region extraction and assists in more accurate region extraction. A luminance distribution-analyzing unit (

02-19-2015

20090257637

Method for providing variously processed image data and x-ray image system - Modern image processing systems for the postprocessing of X-ray images require a large number of input parameters and take a great deal of time. So that calculations do not need to be made sequentially for different sets of input parameters, parallel processors are used, in which the same image processing program is executed in each case, but with different input parameters in each case. A large number of processed X-ray images is thus obtained, which in particular can also be displayed simultaneously. From the multiple processed x-ray images, a repeated postprocessing of a processed x-ray image can take place by mixing.

10-15-2009

20100266188

CHEST X-RAY REGISTRATION, SUBTRACTION AND DISPLAY - Images may be registered by performing a number of operations that may include coarse alignment, coarse registration, and fine registration. The finely-registered images may be subtracted to obtain a residual image.

10-21-2010

20100266187

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR VIRTUAL FLAW REMOVAL FROM X-RAY SENSITIVE PLATES - A system, a method, and computer readable media for generating a corrected image from image information extracted from an X-ray sensitive plate. First, flaw map image information is extracted from an X-ray sensitive plate in order to determine any flaws (e.g., scratches) on the plate. Then the plate is exposed to capture physical image information (e.g., anatomical information) and the physical image information is extracted from the plate. The flaw map information is used to identify corresponding flaws in the extracted physical image information. Image processing is performed to correct the flaws (e.g., due to scratches on the X-ray sensitive plate) in the physical image information to form a corrected physical image.

10-21-2010

20150110379

Method and system for reducing motion blurring in digital radiography - A method of reducing motion blurring in digital radiography includes capturing at least one temporally coded blurred image of an object generated by using a coded pattern, and generating a de-blurred image from the at least one temporally coded blurred image by using the coded pattern and an estimate of a motion vector of the object. The at least one temporally coded blurred image is captured by using a total amount of generated light corresponding to at least a portion of radiation transmitted by the object. A digital radiography system is also provided.

SPECIMEN OBSERVATION METHOD - It is an object of the present invention to provide a specimen observation method, an image processing device, and a charged-particle beam device which are preferable for selecting, based on an image acquired by an optical microscope, an image area that should be acquired in a charged-particle beam device the representative of which is an electron microscope. In the present invention, in order to accomplish the above-described object, there are provided a method and a device for determining the position for detection of charged particles by making the comparison between a stained optical microscope image and an elemental mapping image formed based on X-rays detected by irradiation with the charged-particle beam.

11-05-2009

20080232668

DEVICE, METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING PROGRAM FOR SEPARATING IMAGE COMPONENT - A technique for appropriately separating three components contained in radiographic images is disclosed. A component image generating unit separates an image component, which represents any one of a soft part component, a bone component and a heavy element component including an element having an atomic number higher than that of the bone component in a subject, from inputted three radiographic images, which represents degrees of transmission of three patterns of radiations having different energy distributions through the subject, by calculating a weighted sum for each combination of corresponding pixels between the three radiographic images using predetermined weighting factors.

Method and system for soft tissue image reconstruction in gradient domain - A method and system for soft tissue image reconstruction for dual x-ray imaging is disclosed. A multigrid PDE solver is used for solving a Poisson equation for soft tissue image reconstruction based on a soft tissue gradient field extracted from dual energy x-ray images. The divergence of the soft tissue gradient field is downsampled to a coarsest resolution level, and a soft tissue image is generated based on the divergence of the soft tissue gradient field at the coarsest level. The soft tissue image is interpolated to a next finest resolution level, and refined by at least one coarse grid correction cycle at the current resolution level. The coarse grid correction cycle calculates a defect based on the current soft tissue image, downsamples the defect to the coarsest level, calculates a correction based on the defect at the coarsest level, and upsamples the correction to the current resolution level to refine the current soft tissue image. The interpolation and refinement of the soft tissue image is repeated until the soft tissue image is refined at the finest resolution level.

05-07-2009

20090116720

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT IMAGING - A system and method for imaging a subject includes a clock that generates a clock signal and a radiation source that directs photons through the subject in response to the clock signal. A detector system is included that detects the photons and a memory module records a time of detection of the photons by the detector system with respect to the clock signal. The system includes a processor that calculates a time of flight (TOF) of the photons from the radiation source to the detector system and compares the TOF to a reference TOF to determine a delay in the TOF attributable to the photons passing trough the subject.

System and Method for Intelligent CAD Processing - A computer implemented method for automatically selecting an algorithm for image analysis in a computer-aided detection/diagnosis (CAD) system includes receiving image data for a study involving a patient, querying a radiology information system (RIS) for an IHE (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise)-worklist for the study of the patient, receiving the IHE-worklist from the RIS, analyzing the worklist to select one or more CAD algorithm for analyzing the image data, executing the selected one or more CAD algorithms to analyze the image data, and outputting results of the analysis of the image data.

12-03-2009

20110235888

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An image processing method is provided including the steps of generating a first band image through high-pass filter processing to a source image having an image of a subject falling thereon; generating a reduction image through reduction of the source image; performing low-pass filter processing to the reduction image to generate a low-pass image; magnifying the low-pass image to generate a magnified low-pass image; generating a second band image based on the source image, the first band image, and the magnified low-pass image; generating a third band image through performing of band-pass filter processing to the reduction image; and performing image processing to the source image with each of the band images.

09-29-2011

20140177935

Adaptive Interface for a Medical Imaging System - Systems and methods for control of a medical data processing system are provided. Some embodiments are particularly directed to presenting a user interface for control of an IVUS imaging system. In one embodiment, a method comprises: presenting a set of mode options to a user at a user display device; receiving a mode selection selected by the user; determining a set of operating parameters based on the mode selection; receiving, by a medical processing system, a first set of medical sensing data; and processing, by the medical processing system, the first set of medical sensing data according to the operating parameters. The determining may be further based on at least one of a previous mode selection, a user preference, an operative course of a medical procedure, patient information, the first set of medical sensing data, a second set of medical sensing data, a status indicator, and a sensing device identifier.

06-26-2014

20100189336

RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - In a radiographic apparatus of this invention, when obtaining a long image in a longitudinal direction, an image composing unit combines a plurality of radiographic images in the longitudinal direction based on detected radiation, and a setting unit sets a length of a radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, with the setting unit setting the length of the radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction, the length can be set without requiring an expansion or reduction of the radiographic image of a site of concern. The site of concern is constantly maintained on the same scale to reduce the chance of inducing errors.

07-29-2010

20100177947

X-RAY EXAMINATION REGION SETTING METHOD, X-RAY EXAMINATION APPARATUS AND X-RAY EXAMINATION REGION SETTING PROGRAM - This invention enables information on a connection wiring with a substrate of a mounted component to be accurately and easily inputted in an X-ray examination apparatus. In teaching of a substrate examination, when a user inputs a two-dimensional region of a component to be examined with respect to a visible light image of the substrate, three-dimensional data is generated for the relevant region, which data is then analyzed to acquire a center coordinate, the number, the number of rows, and the number of columns on a ball terminal connecting the component to the substrate. Results such as the center coordinate acquired in such a manner may be displayed. The visible light image for the substrate is displayed in a display field of a screen. In the display field, a frame corresponding to a region acquired as an examination target is displayed in accordance with the visible light image, and a frame corresponding to each solder ball is displayed based on a position and the like of the solder ball acquired based on the three-dimensional data.

07-15-2010

20090238432

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING DEFECTS IN RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE DATA CORRESPONDING TO A SCANNED OBJECT - A method for identifying defects in radiographic image data corresponding to a scanned object is provided. The method includes acquiring radiographic image data corresponding to a scanned object. In one embodiment, the radiographic image data includes an inspection test image and a reference image corresponding to the scanned object. The method includes identifying one or more regions of interest in the reference image and aligning the inspection test image with the regions of interest identified in the reference image, to obtain a residual image. The method further includes identifying one or more defects in the inspection test image based upon the residual image and one or more defect probability values computed for one or more pixels in the residual image.

09-24-2009

20090196481

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method for processing each of chest X-ray images photographed by an X-ray imaging apparatus, includes the steps of: analyzing characteristics of lung images in the chest X-ray images; sorting the chest X-ray images, based on said result of analysis; and displaying the result of sorting.

08-06-2009

20090196480

Methods And Apparatuses For Planning, Performing, Monitoring And Assessing Thermal Ablation - A thermal ablation system is operable to perform thermal ablation using an x-ray system to measure temperature changes throughout a volume of interest in a patient. Image data sets captured by the x-ray system during a thermal ablation procedure provide temperature change information for the volume being subjected to the thermal ablation. Intermediate image data sets captured during the thermal ablation procedure may be fed into a system controller, which may modify or update a thermal ablation plan to achieve volume coagulation necrosis targets. The thermal ablation may be delivered by a variety of ablation modes including radiofrequency ablation, microwave therapy, high intensity focused ultrasound, laser ablation, and other interstitial heat delivery methods. Methods of performing thermal ablation using x-ray system temperature measurements as a feedback source are also provided. Methods of assessing the post-ablation status of the patient and performance of the system are also provided.

08-06-2009

20090196479

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPUTER-AIDED DIAGNOSIS FILTERED PRIORITIZED WORK ITEM LIST - Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for prioritizing medical imaging scans. An image acquisition device, such as a computerized tomography (CT) system, an ultrasound system, an electron beam tomography (EBT) system, a magnetic resonance (MR) system and the like, generates medical imaging scans. A computer aided diagnosis application manager may be used to select a computer aided diagnosis application based on information associated with an imaging scan. The imaging scan may be examined with the computer aided diagnosis application. If the examination of the imaging scan indicates the imaging scan contains urgent findings, the imaging scan may be identified as priority. The indication of the imaging scan as priority may be communicated to a physician so the physician may review the priority imaging scan before non-priority imaging scans.

08-06-2009

20100008559

Dynamic Error Correction in Radiographic Imaging - A method for radiographic imaging is described. Radiographic raw images of an object are generated by an imaging system comprising an X-ray source and an X-ray detector and moving along a given trajectory during an acquisition process of the radiographic images. During the generation of the radiographic raw images displacement data describing the displacement of the moving object are generated by means of a sensor arrangement and a control unit connected with the sensor arrangement. Finally views of the object are produced by image processing of the radiographic raw images in the control unit wherein the displacement data are used for compensating the motion of the object. For the compensation of the motion, the object is treated as stationary and the actual trajectory is replaced by a virtual trajectory resulting in a spatial relation between the stationary object and the imaging system on the virtual trajectory that corresponds to the spatial relation between the displaced object and the imaging system on the actual trajectory.

01-14-2010

20100183215

RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - A radiographic apparatus of this invention, imaging (slot imaging) is carried out in one operation for obtaining a plurality of radiographic images based on radiation detected with an irradiation field restricted to be narrow by the irradiation field control device. Since these plurality of radiographic images are images picked up with the irradiation field restricted to be narrow, a center calculating device can determine a shifted center of the radiographic images. A shift calculating device derives a shift of the center of the X-ray images from a positional relationship between the shifted center of the radiographic images determined and the irradiation field of a radiation detecting device. Since the shift is corrected for the plurality of radiographic images per se based on the shift determined, the shift can be corrected in one slot imaging operation. At a time of slot imaging, the shift can be corrected while determining a central point at a point of time when each image is acquired, or determining a central point all together after acquiring a series of images.

Method for Correcting an Acquired Medical Image and Medical Imager - Method for correcting an acquired medical image of a patient showing a representation of an internal body structure, the acquired image having been acquired in a medical imager having a radiation source and a radiation detector spaced from one another along an image-taking direction, and between which the patient is disposed. One obtains, from the acquired image, a corrected image taking into account a position of the internal body structure along the image-taking direction.

07-15-2010

20140185903

IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - An image processing device for executing a concentration correction process on an obtained radiograph by using a recording plate capable of accumulating radiographic information, wherein the radiograph contains a valid image region corresponding to a region in which the recording plate is present, and an invalid image region corresponding to the region in which the recording plate is not present. Furthermore, the image processing device is provided with: a region-to-be-corrected identification unit for identifying a pre-set range of regions within the valid image region that are adjacent to the invalid image region as to-be-corrected regions; and concentration correction units for correcting the concentration level of pixels in the to-be-corrected regions by removing the concentration level trend in the to-be-corrected regions that become present when moving from the valid image region side toward the invalid image region side.

07-03-2014

20140254910

IMAGING DEVICE, ASSIGNMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSIGNMENT OF LOCALIZATION DATA - A method of assigning first localization data of a breast of a patient derived from first image data of the breast, the first image data being the result of a first radiological data acquisition process, to second localization data of the same breast derived from second image data, the second image data being the result of a second radiological data acquisition process, or vice versa. Thereby, the first localization data are assigned to the second localization data by intermediately mapping them into breast model data representing a patient-specific breast shape of the patient and then onto the second image data—or vice versa, thereby deriving assignment data. An assignment system performs the above-described method.

09-11-2014

20100232670

COMPUTERIZED IMAGING METHOD FOR A THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION FROM TWO-DIMENSIONAL RADIOLOGICAL IMAGES; IMPLEMENTATION DEVICE - A set of radio-opaque surface reference marks detectable by a surface sensor are disposed on the surface of the subject for acquiring three-dimensional or 3D surface images of the surface of the subject; with each radiological image acquired is associated a corresponding surface image acquired at substantially the same time; an iterative process is implemented including a phase of incidence angle calculation and a phase of deformation calculation according to an iterative process, intended to determine the relative positions of the radiological images and the surface images and to perform a positioning in the three dimensions of the radiological images by assuming an absence of deformation of the subject, and to determine and correct on the radiological images the deformations of the subject for the relative positions determined in the phase of incidence angle calculation, the criterion for stopping the iteration being based on the deviation between the 3D coordinates of the reference marks between two successive iterations.

09-16-2010

20100232669

DYNAMIC OPTIMIZATION OF THE SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO OF DUAL-ENERGY ATTENUATION DATA FOR RECONSTRUCTING IMAGES - It is described a method for dynamically optimizing the signal-to-noise ratio of attenuation data related to two different X-ray energies for reconstructing an image of an object under examination. The method comprises (a) estimating the thickness and the material composition of the object at a plurality of different projection angles, (b) for each of the various projection angles calculating for a variety of combinations of different first and second X-ray energies a corresponding common signal-to-noise ratio, (c) for each of the various projection angles choosing the first and the second X-ray energy causing the maximum corresponding common signal-to-noise ratio, and (d) for each of the various projection angles acquiring X-ray attenuation data of the object whereby the two X-ray energies are the X-ray energies causing a maximum signal-to-noise ratio assigned to the respective projection angle.

09-16-2010

20110058724

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TWO-VIEW TOMOSYNTHESIS IMAGING - The invention is a directed to an apparatus for tomosynthesis imaging, wherein the apparatus comprises an x-ray source configured to irradiate an object with a beam of x-rays and a detector configured to detect the x-ray beam that passes through the object. The apparatus further comprises a computer programmed to perform a scan, wherein the scan comprises a translation of at least one of the x-ray source and the detector along a path, an acquisition of a tomosynthesis image dataset, and a reconstruction of one or more three-dimensional (3D) volumes adapted to one or more predetermined view directions, wherein at least one of the one or more predetermined view directions is aligned outside of a central view direction.

03-10-2011

20100067773

Method and device for detecting placement error of an imaging plane of a radiographic image detector, as well as method and device for correcting images - For a radiographic image detector which includes an imaging plane including two-dimensional matrix of pixel sections, each pixel section storing, when exposed to radiation, a charge according to amount of the radiation, and which is used to be exposed to radiation transmitted through the same subject each time the detector is shifted along a predetermined axis of shift, an inclination of the two-dimensional matrix relative to the axis of shift of the radiographic image detector is detected. The inclination is detected by applying radiation two times to the detector at different radiation application positions effected by the shift of the detector so that a common marker is imaged during each radiation application; carrying out a reading operation after each radiation application to acquire image data representing image information of the marker; and detecting the inclination based on a positional relationship between marker images represented by the image data.

03-18-2010

20100067769

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTRATION AND COMPARISON OF MEDICAL IMAGES - Methods and apparatuses disclosed herein process medical images, for comparison and analysis of the images. The method according to one embodiment accesses digital image data representing a first medical image and a second medical image; registers the second image to the first image using a specific region preserving registration or specific regions preserving registration, to obtain a registered second image; and compares the first image and the registered second image.

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE COMPUTER-ASSISTED ANALYSIS OF MAMMOGRAMS - A device for the computer-assisted analysis of mammograms. Said device comprises means for detecting a contour line that surrounds an object area of the mammogram, which is defined by an object. The device also comprises a means for positioning and scaling the mammogram. The device is configured to determine the contour line of the object area of the mammogram and to automatically position and scale the mammogram based on the contour line. A method for the computer-assisted analysis of mammograms is also disclosed. The disclosed device and method make it easier for a doctor to comparatively analyze and diagnose mammograms.

09-03-2009

20120328174

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AN X-RAY IMAGE OF AN ORGAN - A system and a method for indicating at least one of the internal structures of an organ on an X-ray image are proposed. The system includes an interface adapted to receive the X-ray image and a non-X-ray image pertaining to the organ. The system also includes a database having a geometric model of the internal structures of the organ, a first module for determining at least a dimension of one of the internal structures of the organ from the non-X-ray image, and a second module for indicating the at least one of the internal structures of the organ in the X-ray image based on the geometric model adjusted by the at least one dimension.

12-27-2012

20100195892

MEDICAL IMAGE DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND MEDICAL IMAGE DATA PROCESSING METHOD - A medical image data processing apparatus includes: an imaging unit that has an X-ray tube for irradiating a subject with X-ray and an X-ray detector for detecting X-ray passed through the subject and scans the subject to collect raw data; a reconstruction unit that reconstructs image data from the collected raw data; a cutout unit that calculates, based on an image to be observed selected from the reconstructed image data, an imaging position of the image to be observed and cut outs, from the collected raw data, raw data existing within a previously set range including raw data constituting the image to be observed; and a storage unit that stores the raw data cut out by the cutout unit together with associated additional information.

APPARATUS AND METHOD OF VISUALIZING MULTI-ENERGY IMAGING DATA - An imaging system includes an x-ray source configured to emit a beam of x-rays toward an object to be imaged, a detector configured to receive x-rays that are attenuated by the object, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably coupled to the detector, and a computer operably coupled to the DAS and programmed to obtain scan data with two or more incident energy spectra, decompose the obtained scan data into at least three basis materials, generate an image of one of the at least three basis materials using the decomposed scan data, and replace at least one pixel in the image using decomposed data of another of the at least three basis materials.

06-03-2010

20110110574

DENTAL CYSTS DETECTOR - A system and method for detecting a cyst from a dental radiographic image is provided. The system and method comprises comparing the radiographic image to a plurality of template images, calculating a cross correlation coefficient between a plurality of regions in the radiographic image and a corresponding plurality of regions in the template image, determining a cyst region in the radiographic image based on a value of the cross correlation coefficient and computing a severity level of the cyst.

05-12-2011

20090252397

Imaging system and image defect correcting method - An imaging system comprises: an imaging unit for producing an image within a given field of view; an image defect detector for detecting a defective area from a first image that is produced by the imaging unit without a subject in the given field of view; a size enlarging unit for forming a deemed defective area having an enlarged size consisting of pixels of the first image corresponding to a defective area detected by the image defect detector and at least one of pixels adjacent to these pixels; and an image defect correcting unit for correcting a second image produced by the imaging unit with a subject located within the given view of field according to a deemed defective area formed by the size enlarging unit.

10-08-2009

20090110259

METHOD FOR ANALYTIC RECONSTRUCTION OF CONE-BEAM PROJECTION DATA FOR MULTI-SOURCE INVERSE GEOMETRY CT SYSTEMS - A method for analytically reconstructing a multi-axial computed tomography (CT) dataset, acquired using one or more longitudinally-offset x-ray beams emitted from multiple x-ray sources is provided. The method comprises acquiring one or more CT axial projection datasets, wherein the CT axial projection datasets are acquired using less than a full scan of data. The method further comprises reconstructing the CT axial projection datasets to generate a reconstructed image volume. The reconstruction comprises backprojecting one or more voxels comprising the multi-axial CT dataset, along one or more projection views, based upon a cone-angle weight determined for the voxels, wherein the cone-angle weight for the voxels is determined along a longitudinal direction.

04-30-2009

20110235886

VISCERAL FAT MEASUREMENT - Dual-energy absorptiometry is used to estimate visceral fat metrics and display results, preferably as related to normative data. The process involves deriving x-ray measurements for respective pixel positions related to a two-dimensional projection image of a body slice containing visceral fat as well as subcutaneous fat, at least some of the measurements being dual-energy x-ray measurements, processing the measurements to derive estimates of metrics related to the visceral fat in the slice, and using the resulting estimates. Processing the measurements includes an algorithm which places boundaries of regions, e.g., a large “abdominal” region and a smaller “abdominal cavity” region. Two boundaries of the “abdominal cavity” region are placed at positions associated with the left and right innermost extent of the abdominal muscle wall by identifying inflection of % Fat values. The regions are combined in an equation that is highly correlated with VAT measured by quantitative computed tomography in order to estimate VAT.

09-29-2011

20090202129

X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An X-ray image processing apparatus includes a calculating unit adapted to calculate the noise amount of a sensor on the basis of a difference value of a plurality of dark images acquired at different timings by the sensor when no X-rays are irradiated, a changing unit adapted to change a predetermined parameter for processing an X-ray image acquired by the sensor when X-rays are irradiated, in order to prevent the noise amount from being superposed on the X-ray image, and an image processing unit adapted to perform image processing on the X-ray image on the basis of the changed parameter.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR X-RAY IMAGING - An energy-sensitive system includes one or more processors configured to determine spectral attenuation curves for a first basis material and a second basis material, respectively. The one or more processors are configured to substitute a k-edge feature in the determined spectral attenuation curves with an approximation of the determined spectral attenuation curves lacking the k-edge feature. The one or more processors are also configured to construct a material decomposition model based on one of the determined or approximated first and second spectral attenuation curves. The one or more processors are additionally configured to decompose X-ray projection data into basis material projection data comprising first and second line integrals based, at least in part, on the model.

07-03-2014

20110026802

Analysis Method for Regional Image - An analysis method for a regional image is disclosed for an image datum from a C-arm device. The analysis method includes: providing an indication module, reading the image datum, selecting a plurality of ROIs (Regions of Interest), calculating an average brightness of each of the ROIs, searching every of the steel ball image data, comparing each of the steel ball image data and analyzing each of the steel ball image data. By individually analyzing the regional image datum, the brighter or darker image signal can be excluded so that it can improve precision during searching the steel ball image data. Moreover, it is also more effective for comparing an image profile of the steel ball image datum with a real profile of the steel ball of the indication module. Thus, the steel ball image can be readily defined by its correspondence with the steel ball of the indication module.

02-03-2011

20100208973

RADIOLOGICAL IMAGING METHOD AND DEVICE - A method for radiological imaging of a region of interest including blood vessels. The method has the steps of acquiring a real-time fluoroscopic image of the region of interest by exposing the region of interest to a first dose of X-rays, the fluoroscopic image showing background structures and instrument introduced into the vessels; subtracting a mask image from the acquired real-time fluoroscopic image to generate a subtracted fluoroscopic image showing only the instrument; combining the subtracted fluoroscopic image and a pre-recorded diagnostic image of the region of interest showing only the blood vessels to generate a combined image showing both the blood vessels and the instrument; and displaying the combined image on a screen for viewing. The mask image is determined from a fluoroscopic image acquired prior to the introduction of the instrument into the vessels by exposing the region to an X-ray does equivalent to the first dose.

X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An X-ray imaging apparatus comprises an examination information input unit configured to input examination information necessary for an examination; an examination dividing operation reception unit configured to receive an instruction to divide the examination into a first examination associated with the examination information and a second examination unassociated with the examination information, during an interval between a start of the examination and an end of the examination; and an image distribution instruction reception unit configured to receive an instruction to distribute images which have been captured in the examination in association with one of the first examination and the second examination.

01-30-2014

20140029832

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING SEGMENTATION AND VISUALIZATION OF IMAGES - A method for visualizing an object of interest includes obtaining an image of an object of interest, automatically separating the image into tissue clusters, automatically selecting foreground clusters from the tissue clusters, automatically generating a contour based on the selected foreground clusters, and displaying an image of the object of interest including the foreground clusters and the contour. A system and non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein.

01-30-2014

20140029831

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING SEGMENTATION AND VISUALIZATION OF MULTVARIATE MEDICAL IMAGES - A method for generating an image includes obtaining a first image and a second image of an object of interest, generating a joint histogram using the first and second images, transforming the information in the histogram from histogram space to image space using a look-up table, and generating a color image using the information output from the look-up table. A system and non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein.

01-30-2014

20110038522

METHOD OF REMOVING MOIRE IN FLUOROSCOPIC X-RAY IMAGE AND X-RAY IMAGING EQUIPMENT USING THE SAME - Provided is a method of removing a moiré in a fluoroscopic X-ray image that preliminarily complements a defective pixel with no disturbance in regularity of a moiré pattern to ensure that no trace of the defective pixel and no ghost thereof create even when the fluoroscopic X-ray image contains the defective pixel. The method of removing the moiré in the fluoroscopic X-ray image according to this invention includes a moiré frequency derivation section that determines frequency of the moiré that appears in the fluoroscopic X-ray image, a defective pixel preliminary complement section that forms a preliminary complement image, a moiré removal section that conducts frequency analysis of the preliminary complement image to form a moiré removed image, an image smoothing section that that performs an image smoothing process to the preliminary complement image to form a smoothed image suitable for complement of the defective pixel, and a first defective pixel recomplement section that recomplements the defective pixel by superimposing the moiré removed image on the smoothed image.

02-17-2011

20100208970

Radiographic image capturing system and radiographic image capturing method - A radiographic image capturing system includes a plurality of image capturing apparatus for detecting, in a radiographic image capturing process, radiation that has passed through a subject and converting the detected radiation into radiographic image information, and a plurality of consoles for controlling the image capturing apparatus. The radiographic image capturing system also includes an image capture control commander for outputting an image capture control command signal to one of the consoles to enable the console to control the corresponding image capturing apparatus, and an image processing commander for outputting an image processing command signal to at least one of the consoles to enable the console to perform an image processing process to process the radiographic image information from the image capturing apparatus.

08-19-2010

20120134568

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF USING PROBABILISTIC ATLAS FOR FEATURE REMOVAL/POSITIONING - Methods and apparatuses process images. The method according to one embodiment accesses digital image data representing an image including an object; accesses reference data including a shape model relating to shape variation of objects from a baseline object, the objects and the baseline object being from a class of the object; and removes from the image an element not related to the object, by representing a shape of the object using the shape model.

05-31-2012

20110033101

GRID SUPPRESSION IN IMAGING - A method for providing a diagnostic image as a combination of two or more images executed, at least in part, on a control logic processor. The method includes obtaining at least first and second image data of a subject and analyzing both the first and second image data to identify at least grid orientation and spacing. Grid suppression is applied to the first and second image data and the grid suppressed first and second image data is pre-processed. The method then combines the grid suppressed first and second image data and decomposes the combined data to obtain one or more diagnostic images for display. The one or more diagnostic images are displayed on a display that is associated with the control logic processor.

02-10-2011

20110110576

Selective Display Of Computer-Aided Detection Findings With Associated Breast X-Ray Mammogram and/or Tomosynthesis Image Information - Methods, systems, and related computer program products for processing and displaying computer-aided detection (CAD) information associated with medical breast x-ray images, such as breast x-ray tomosynthesis volumes and conventional x-ray mammograms, are described. For one preferred embodiment, CAD findings for several cases (or several individual data volumes) are selectively designated for marking such that a predetermined number of CAD findings per case (or per data volume) are marked for display across all of the cases (or data volumes). In another preferred embodiment, localized breast fibroglandular tissue density information is used together with certainty-of-finding information as a basis for selecting which candidate CAD findings to designate as marked CAD findings, with increased certainty-of-finding being required to mark CAD findings in regions of higher fibroglandular tissue density. In another preferred embodiment, CAD findings located within regions of excessively dense fibroglandular tissue are withheld altogether, and associated warnings are displayed.

05-12-2011

20110110575

DENTAL CARIES DETECTOR - Briefly, in accordance with one aspect, a method for detecting caries on a tooth is provided. The method includes clustering image pixels of an edge-enhanced image of the tooth to identify enamel, dentine, pulp and caries layers of the tooth and determining a plurality of texture parameters for each of the identified enamel, dentine, pulp and caries layers. The method also includes comparing the plurality of texture parameters with reference parameters to detect caries on the tooth.

05-12-2011

20110019896

PRECISION REGISTRATION OF X-RAY IMAGES TO CONE-BEAM CT SCAN FOR IMAGE-GUIDED RADIATION TREATMENT - A method for precision registration of X-ray images to cone-beam CT scan for image-guided radiosurgery includes acquiring 2-D pre-treatment X-ray images of a region of interest, acquiring a 2-D X-ray image of the region of interest at approximately a time of treatment, registering the 2-D X-ray image with a corresponding 2-D pre-treatment X-ray image to obtain a 2-D registration result at approximately the time of treatment, and converting the 2-D registration result into a 3-D tracking result to track the region of interest.

01-27-2011

20100195893

X-RAY DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A first generating unit generates a plurality of blood vessel image data sets at the plurality of imaging angles by performing subtraction processing for the plurality of mask image data sets and the plurality of contrast image data sets. A second generating unit generates a blood vessel volume data set including an artery region, a vein region, and a capillary vessel region by performing reconstruction processing for the plurality of blood vessel image data sets. A third generating unit generates a capillary vessel volume data set associated with the capillary vessel region by removing the artery region and the vein region from the blood vessel volume data set. A fourth generating unit generates a capillary vessel image data set by performing three-dimensional image processing for the capillary vessel volume data set.

08-05-2010

20100195891

IMAGE RECONSTRUCTING METHJOD USING X-RAY VOLUME PHOTOGRAPHY - A 3D image reconstructing method using X-ray volume photography acquires a plurality of X-ray area array images of the object interested according to locating principle of the digital photographic measurement. A plurality of mark points of the known 3D positions are simultaneously taken in the X-ray photo, and the method uses the coordinates of the mark points in the rectangular coordinate system for volume photographic 3D image reconstruction and the coordinates of the mark points in the X-ray photo coordinate system to construct a transforming relationship of the two coordinate systems. The method determines the path and the position of each X beam by using the transforming relationship and gets all voxels of each X-ray passing the object interested. The method uses the voxel g and the pixel G of the same X beam path to get Radon set of equations to determine the gray scale value of voxel g, then determines the gray scale values of all voxels g by computer and reconstructs a 3D volume image of the object interested based on the gray scale value of voxel g.

08-05-2010

20110116703

TARGET TRACKING USING DIRECT TARGET REGISTRATION - Systems, methods and apparatus to detect a treatment target having motion in up to three translational directions using direct registration of the target and track the target to synchronize a treatment beam with the motion of the target.

05-19-2011

20120033870

IMAGE DATA TRANSFER APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME - An image data transfer apparatus for an X-ray imaging apparatus, transferring X-ray image data output from an X-ray detection unit to an external device, acquires pixel values that constitute the X-ray image data in a pixel order in which the X-ray detection unit outputs the X-ray image data. The image data transfer apparatus divides the X-ray image data into a predetermined number of reduced images by grouping each acquired pixel value according to a pixel position in an image, and holds each reduced image in a memory area with consecutive addresses. The image data transfer apparatus transfers the X-ray image data to the external device as each held reduced image.

02-09-2012

20130243301

IMAGE-PROCESSING APPARATUS AND X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a correcting unit. The correcting unit identifies, based on an observation value of a residual contrast material component that is injected to a subject before a predetermined timing and remains in the subject, the residual contrast material component and a new contrast material component that is newly injected to the subject after the predetermined timing regarding a contrast material component that is included in an image, and corrects an observation value of the contrast material component included in the image.

09-19-2013

20130243300

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RADIOGRAPHING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM THEREFOR - Useful material for making low-dose radiographing and an increase in the image quality compatible with each other is provided. An image analysis unit of a central server derives the granularity of a region of interest by analyzing an X-ray image transmitted from a client terminal. A storage processing unit stores the granularity, the X-ray image, and radiographing information in a storage device so as to be associated with each other. A search processing unit searches for the radiographing information, which is matched with search conditions designated from the client terminal, and granularity, which is associated with the radiographing information, from the storage device. A statistical data generation unit generates a scatter plot, which has granularity on the vertical axis and a radiation dose on the horizontal axis, as statistical data. The statistical data is transmitted to the client terminal and is displayed on a display of the client terminal.

09-19-2013

20120039520

Digital Radiography Place Identification System - Systems, devices, and methods for facilitating the automatic identification, sorting, and positioning of radiographic images. According to one embodiment of the subject invention, phosphorous plates for intra-oral imaging are encoded for automated image set identification, location, and orientation. In certain embodiments, a processing system is able to process encoded identifiers on the phosphorous plates with digitized images depicted on the phosphorous plates to automatically identify, sort, and rotate the digitized images into proper orientations for user viewing.

RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - A radiation image processing device comprises a noise component extraction part which extracts a noise component from a radiation image, a line-shaped noise component extraction part which extracts a line-shaped noise component from the noise component extracted by the noise component extraction part, and a line-shaped noise component subtraction part which subtracts the line-shaped noise component, extracted by the line-shaped noise component extraction part, from the radiation image.

02-05-2009

20090034819

Systems and Methods for Adapting a Movement Model Based on an Image - Various embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for adapting a movement model based on an image captured during radiation treatment of a patient. The movement model may, for example, be used in radiotherapy to treat lung cancer. The movement model is typically based on a series of images of a patient captured over a period of time. The movement model and/or one or images included therein may be used to generate a reference image of the patient. The reference image is compared with an image of the patient optionally captured during treatment. The result of this comparison is used to adapt the movement model to conditions during the treatment.

02-05-2009

20130136333

METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING A RECONSTRUCTION DATA SET CONTAINING TWO-DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL X-RAY IMAGES - A method reconstructs a reconstruction data set containing virtual X-ray images of projection images of a target region recorded with an X-ray device. The projection images being recorded at different positions of an X-ray source along a scanning trajectory. The method includes defining an imaginary position of the X-ray source for each virtual X-ray image. For each virtual X-ray image and each pixel to be reconstructed in the X-ray image a virtual beam section, covering the target region, of the path between the imaginary position of the X-ray source and the pixel is defined. For each projection image, an integral is determined from the relationships between the forward projection and the filtered back-projection by re-parameterizing. A projection value of the virtual X-ray image from the integrals determined is combined.

05-30-2013

20110249882

IMAGE PROCESSING - A method and image processing system for correcting motion artefacts in captured projection images of a body part caused by movement relative to the co-ordinate system of an imaging system between capture of the images are described. A first image data set is obtained representing a first captured image of the body part for which the imaging system had a first geometry. A second image data set is obtained representing a second captured image of the same body part for which the imaging system had a second geometry and in which the second captured image is from a different direction to the first captured image. The position of at least a first anatomical landmark point is identified in the first captured image from first image data set. The position of the at least first anatomical landmark point is projected into the second captured image. A transformation required to map the position of the same anatomical landmark point from the second image data set onto the projected position of the at least first anatomical landmark is determined. The so determined transformation represents the true position of the body part relative to the imaging system when the second image was captured.

10-13-2011

20100054573

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DELINEATION OF VASCULATURE - A method for automatically delineating image data corresponding to vasculature in an anatomical region is presented. The method includes obtaining image data corresponding to soft tissue representative of the anatomical region. In addition, the method includes segmenting image data corresponding to a region of interest from image data corresponding to the anatomical region based on a patient population to obtain image data corresponding to a segmented region of interest. Furthermore, the method includes extracting image data corresponding to vasculature associated with the segmented region of interest by suppressing image data corresponding to soft tissue representative of the segmented region of interest. Systems and computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method are also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.

03-04-2010

20100061616

MANAGEMENT DEVICE, STORAGE MEDIUM STORED WITH PROGRAM AND IMAGING DEVICE - A management device that includes an acquiring component and a numericalizetion component is provided. The acquiring component acquires correlation information that correlates with a degree of deterioration of a radiation detection component from plurality of imaging devices, each of the plurality of imaging devices comprising a radiation detection component that detects radiation that has passed through respective investigation subjects, and each of the plurality of imaging devices performing image capture by generating image data representing a radiographic image according to the amount of radiation detected by the radiation detection component, and storing the image data in a predetermined storage region. The numericalization component numericalizes the degree of deterioration of each of the respective radiation detection components of the plurality of imaging devices based on the correlation information acquired by the acquiring component.

03-11-2010

20110075913

LESION AREA EXTRACTION APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Recording a plurality of lesion area extraction processing data generated in advance according to a plurality of types of lesion areas, recording a radiology which includes a character string having a lesion description character and being related to position information of a lesion area in the medical image, determining lesion area extraction processing data used for the extraction from the plurality of lesion area extraction processing data based on the lesion description character provided in the radiology report, and performing the extraction using the determined lesion area extraction processing data and the position information of the lesion area related to the character string.

03-31-2011

20110044526

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR LUNG NODULE SEGMENTATION IN A CHEST RADIOGRAPH - The present invention has disclosed a method and apparatus for lung nodule segmentation in a chest radiograph. The method comprises preprocessing the chest radiograph and propagating the segmentation in the image based on the fast marching method. The method further includes design of velocity function. With the present invention, a fast and robust segmentation can be achieved.

02-24-2011

20110044525

MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An embodiment of the present invention provides a medical apparatus which displays an image of an object collected by using a first radiography system and a second radiography system, including: an image processing unit adapted to acquire a three-dimensional image; a projection direction input unit used to input a projection direction for at least one of the first radiography system and the second radiography system using the three-dimensional image; an imaging direction setting unit adapted to set an imaging direction for at least one of the first radiography system and the second radiography system based on the projection direction; and an interference checking unit adapted to determine whether interference between the first radiography system and the second radiography system will occur if one of the first radiography system and the second radiography system corresponding to the set imaging direction is moved.

02-24-2011

20110033100

REGISTRATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE DATA TO 2D-IMAGE-DERIVED DATA - A method for obtaining registration of a three-dimensional image data set of an anatomical vessel with corresponding two-dimensional image data of the vessel in an X-ray imaging system, where the method comprise the user identifying two points on an anatomical vessel on at least two X-ray image planes, the user identifying two similar points on the surface of the corresponding three-dimensional anatomical image data, determining the orientation direction of the vessel from the two user identified image data surface points, determining the orientation direction of the vessel from the two points obtained from the X-ray image planes, and calculating a transformation of the three-dimensional image data to obtain a best fit registration of the direction derived from the image surface points with the direction derived from the X-ray image data points.

02-10-2011

20120177278

DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING PROGRAM FOR SEPARATING IMAGE COMPONENTS - A problem inherent to radiographic images, which may occur when an independent component analysis technique is applied to energy subtraction carried out on radiographic images, is solved to achieve separation of image components to be separated with higher accuracy. As preprocessing before the independent component analysis, a spatial frequency band which contains the components to be separated is extracted, pixels of the radiographic images are classified into more than one subsets for each radiographic image based on a value of a predetermined parameter, and/or nonlinear pixel value conversion is applied to the radiographic images based on a value of the predetermined parameter. Alternatively, nonlinear independent component analysis is carried out according to a model using the predetermined parameter.

07-12-2012

20120033871

IMAGE REPORTING METHOD AND SYSTEM - A method and system are provided to report the findings of an expert's analysis of image data. The method and system are based on a reporting system that forms the basis of an image management system that can efficiently and systematically generate image reports, facilitate data entry into searchable databases for data mining, and expedite billing and collections for the expert's services. The expert identifies a significant finding on an image and attaches a location:description code to the location of that finding in order to create a significant finding and an entry into a database. Further descriptions of that finding, such as dimensional measurements, may be automatically appended to the finding as secondary attributes. After the evaluation, the system sorts the findings in the database and presents the findings by prioritized categories. The expert edits and approves a multimedia report which may be delivered by electronic means to an end-user.

02-09-2012

20120201444

Reducing False Positives In Computer-Aided Detection - Methods, systems, and related computer program products for computer-aided detection (CAD) of anatomical abnormalities in digital (or digitized) x-ray mammograms are described. The inventive techniques are based on using a foundational CAD processing algorithm that is characterized by at least one of non-shift-invariance, non-rotational-invariance, and non-inversional-invariance. According to one preferred embodiment, a first x-ray mammogram image of a breast is received, and at least one altered version thereof is generated that differs therefrom by at least one of image shift, image rotation, and image inversion. The first x-ray mammogram image and each of the at least one altered versions thereof are individually processed using the foundational CAD algorithm to generate a respective plurality of individual CAD detection sets. The plurality of CAD detection sets are then compared to generate an overall CAD detection set.

08-09-2012

20140363070

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, TOMOGRAPHY APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus of the present invention performs reconstruction processing on a projected image of an object obtained by using a radiation source and a detector in order to obtain a tomographic image in which noise has been reduced regardless of the type of reconstruction filter that is used. The image processing apparatus includes a selection unit that selects a reconstruction filter in accordance with an imaging technique; a setting unit that sets an image processing parameter for noise reduction according to the type of the selected reconstruction filter; an image processing unit that performs image processing on the projected image using the image processing parameter; and a reconstruction unit that uses the selected reconstruction filter to perform reconstruction processing on the projected image resulting from the image processing and obtain a tomographic image of the object.

12-11-2014

20110158498

NOISE REDUCTION METHOD FOR DUAL-ENERGY IMAGING - A method is provided that includes acquiring a first set of image data from X-rays produced at a first energy level and a second set of image data from X-rays produced at a second energy level. The method includes generating a first noise mask for a first basis material and a second noise mask for a second basis material and removing pixels corresponding to cross contaminating structural information from the first noise mask and the second noise mask. The method includes processing a first materially decomposed image generated from the first set of image data and the second set of digital data using the second noise mask after removal of the cross contaminating structural information and processing a second MD image generated from the first set of image data and the second set of digital data using the first noise mask after removal of the cross contaminating structural information.

Radiograpic Data Interpretation - A method and apparatus are described for the collection and interpretation of radiographic data from an object scanned by a suitable radiation source. A radiation detector system is provided that is detecting and collecting spectroscopically resolved information. An object is scanned from a plurality of perspectives, and the resultant data from each perspective resolved into at least three spectroscopic energy bands. For each such resolved spectroscopic energy band an image analysis is performed to derive depth slicing to produce a series of output datasets each comprising a 2-D dataset of intensity information resolved to a single energy band and depth slice.

08-04-2011

20110188726

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STITCHING MULTIPLE IMAGES INTO A PANORAMIC IMAGE - Disclosed is a method for generating a panoramic image of a region of interest (ROI) which is larger than a field of a view of a radiation based imaging device, comprising, positioning markers along the ROI, acquiring a set of images along the ROI, wherein the acquired images have at least partially overlapping portions, aligning at least two separate images by aligning a common marker found in both images and compensating for a difference between a distance from a radiation source to the marker element and the distance from the radiation source to a plane of interest.

08-04-2011

20110255766

ADVANCED AUTOMATIC DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHIC HOT LIGHT METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method for automatically modifying the rendering of an image based on an analysis of pixel values within a selected region of interest. The method includes: providing a digital input image of digital pixel values and tone scale look-up table (LUT); creating a default rendered image by applying the tone scale lookup table to the input image; displaying the default rendered image; selecting a region of interest from the input image; computing the histogram of the pixel values within the region of interest; creating a bright light image by remapping the pixel values within the region of interest based on an analysis of the histogram and the tone scale table.

10-20-2011

20100310147

DATA TRANSFER SYSTEM, TRANSMITTING APPARATUS, RECEIVING APPARATUS, RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE TRANSFER SYSTEM, AND RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM - A data transfer system capable of avoiding slowdown of processing while protecting contents of data to be transmitted is provided. The data transfer system includes a transmitting apparatus that transmits data and a receiving apparatus that receives the transmitted data. The transmitting apparatus includes: an encoding section supplied with to-be-converted data, converts the data into a code by using a correspondence table in which one-to-one correspondence between data values and codes is described and generates encoded data; a replacement table generating section that, for at least a part of the correspondence described in the correspondence table used by the encoding section, replaces a corresponding counterpart with another counterpart included in the correspondence, and generates a replacement table; and a transmitting section that transmits a group of data in which the encoded data generated by the encoding section and the replacement table generated by the replacement table generating section are combined.

System for Viewing Vasculature and Perfuse Tissue - A system and method includes reception of a mask x-ray image of a patient volume, reception of a plurality of sequential x-ray images of the patient volume including a contrast medium, subtraction of the mask x-ray image from each of the plurality of sequential x-ray images to generate a plurality of sequential x-ray difference images, filtering of each of the plurality of sequential x-ray difference images based on one or more filter parameters to generate a plurality of sequential filtered x-ray difference images, combination of each of the plurality of sequential filtered x-ray difference images with a corresponding one of the plurality of sequential x-ray difference images based on a weight to generate a plurality of combined sequential x-ray images, and display of the plurality of combined sequential x-ray images sequentially.

05-15-2014

20110135186

DETERMINING FORESHORTENING OPTIMAL VIEW MAPS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE SHAPE OF THE VESSEL CROSS-SECTION IN CARDIOVASCULAR X-RAY SYSTEMS - In clinical reality, the cross section of the lesions is frequently asymmetric. For clinical purposes it is crucial to find an X-ray view that gives a projection image where the minimum luminal cross section of the lesion is shown. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system is proposed, wherein the system is adapted to perform the steps of a method of identifying modifications of an elongated element located in an object of interest. The method might comprise the steps of generating a plurality of projections of the object of interest, wherein the projections have different projection angles, determining geometrical aspects of the elongate element in each of the projections, calculating an index on the basis of the geometrical aspects, indicating projections having a desired value of the index.

06-09-2011

20110135183

PROCESS FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF AN OBJECT FROM A SINGLE VIEW - A method for determining an orientation in space of a substantially cylindrical shaped elementary object using a radiography device comprising a source of X-rays and a detector disposed opposite the source is provided. The radiography device is arranged to record a projection image of the elementary object when the elementary object is located between the source and the detector. The method includes: determining a quantity A of X-rays absorbed by the elementary object on the projection image; and evaluating the sine of an angle θ as a function of the quantity A of absorbed X-rays, wherein the angle θ is between a longitudinal axis of the elementary object and a plane of the projection image.

Universal Interface For Medical Imaging Receptors - The present invention provides a plurality of interchangeable modules each of which is adapted to interface with at least one image receptor having predetermined physical interface parameters, including means for receiving image data from the at least one image receptor, processing means for converting the received image data into a converted, common format, and bus means for adapting to and communicating with a mother board. The interchangeable modules can be embodied in a plurality of daughter boards that are adapted for electrical connection to a mother board. Each daughter board can include the physical interface corresponding with the image receptor for which it has been programmed to receive data, with the physical interface being adapted for extending outwardly from a cabinet enclosing the daughter board and the mother board.

09-11-2008

20140307937

Methods, Apparatuses, and Computer Program Products for Identifying a Region of Interest Within a Mammogram Image - Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for identifying a region of interest within a mammogram image. A method may include applying a clustering algorithm to a histogram of the mammogram image to identify a predefined number of threshold values. The method may further include determining a predefined number of seed values based at least in part on the identified threshold values. The method may additionally include generating a kernel image for each of the seed values. The method may also include using the generated kernel images to identify a region of interest including a breast within the mammogram image. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.

10-16-2014

20140307938

Techniques for Generating a Representative Image and Radiographic Interpretation Information for a Case - A technique for generating a representative image representing a case and radiographic interpretation information for each case includes calculating wavelet features of a plurality of images that have been taken and stored in the past. The calculated wavelet features and extracted keywords are stored in association with the stored images. The stored images are classified on the basis of the extracted keywords to generate a plurality of groups. For each of the generated groups, a centroid vector of wavelet feature-based feature vectors of respective images corresponding to the keywords is calculated and a spatial distance between the calculated centroid vector and each of the wavelet feature-based feature vectors is calculated. For each of the groups, the image for which the calculated spatial distance is the shortest and the radiographic interpretation information associated with the image is stored as a representative image of that group.

10-16-2014

20100215243

RADIOLOGICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND RADIOLOGICAL IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - A radiological image processing apparatus of this invention includes a separating device, an adjusting device and a removing device. Since a corrected image is generated using the radiological image taken through an object under examination, each image can be acquired by one radiographic operation without acquiring data for grid correction beforehand. The radiological image taken through the object is separated into a grid image and a non-grid image, and a corrected image is generated by adjusting intensity of the grid image on real space based on the non-grid image. Thus a high-precision correcting process is realized by one radiographic operation.

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND PROCESSING METHOD THEREFOR - A radiographic imaging apparatus performs imaging based on an examination order including a plurality of imaging protocols, executes image processing for the captured image based on the imaging protocol used at the time of the imaging, designates a change source imaging protocol and a change destination imaging protocol from the examination order based on an instruction of an operator, and changes the imaging protocol corresponding to the image captured based on the change source imaging protocol from the change source imaging protocol to the change destination imaging protocol. when the change of protocol is made, the apparatus executes image processing based on the change destination imaging protocol for the image before the image processing which is captured based on the change source imaging protocol.

System for Automatically Generating a Mask for Digital Subtraction Angiography - A system automatically generates a mask image. An interface receives a signal from an X-ray imaging device indicating X-ray radiation dosage for performing imaging is substantially stable. An image processor automatically processes data representing multiple temporally sequential individual images of a portion of patient anatomy to identify, a first image comprising an image in the multiple temporally sequential individual images determined in response to the received signal. The image processor identifies a second image substantially exclusive of an indication of presence of a contrast agent successively followed by an image indicating presence of a contrast agent, by comparing a difference between measures representative of luminance content of the second image and the image indicating presence of a contrast agent, with a threshold. The image processor also identifies a set of images comprising the first and second images and any sequential intervening images. An image data processor automatically averages the set of images for use as a mask image.

METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE PROJECTION GEOMETRY OF AN X-RAY APPARATUS - In a method for determining the projection geometry of an x-ray apparatus, an x-ray image of an object inside the patient is generated using the x-ray apparatus. A first measurement of a characteristic dimension of the imaged object is determined in the x-ray image. A second measurement of the characteristic dimension is determined using real geometry data of the object. The projection geometry is then determined using the first and second measurements.

10-27-2011

20090175526

METHOD OF CREATING A DIVERGENCE TRANSFORM FOR IDENTIFYING A FEATURE OF INTEREST IN HYPERSPECTRAL DATA - A system and method for identifying objects of interest in image data is provided. The present invention utilizes principles of Iterative Transformational Divergence in which objects in images, when subjected to special transformations, will exhibit radically different responses based on the physical, chemical, or numerical properties of the object or its representation (such as images), combined with machine learning capabilities. Using the system and methods of the present invention, certain objects that appear indistinguishable from other objects to the eye or computer recognition systems, or are otherwise almost identical, generate radically different and statistically significant differences in the image describers (metrics) that can be easily measured.

07-09-2009

20090185732

USER INTERFACE AND VIEWING WORKFLOW FOR MAMMOGRAPHY WORKSTATION - This invention provides a simple user interface and sequencing viewing method for a mammography interpretation workstation. In particular, the invention includes the method and apparatus that moves the source images and the associated data using two-level of pre-fetching and caching mechanism, sequences the reading workflow (including worklist, hanging protocol, viewing sequencing), draws markup using electronic grease pan, and automatically generates the recall forms and screening reports. The user interface operates on single button and mouse wheel style to maximize the radiologists' efficiency.

07-23-2009

20110206261

METHOD FOR IMAGE PROCESSING OF MAMMOGRAPHIC IMAGES - A method for rendering a mammography image. Mammography image data is obtained and stored in a computer-readable electronic memory. A mapping transforms the data to an output data space by estimating a relative amount of dense tissue from the image data; identifying at least a first control point that delineates tissue from non-tissue image content and a second control point that delineates a fatty from a dense tissue region; allocating output image data values in the output data space for the identified fatty and dense tissue content according to the estimated relative amount of dense tissue; and mapping image data values to the allocated output image data values according to the first and second control points. The mammography image is rendered on a display according to the mapping.

08-25-2011

20140294276

AUTOMATIC ESTIMATION OF ANATOMICAL EXTENTS - A hierarchical multi-object active appearance model (AAM) framework is disclosed for processing image data, such as localizer or scout image data. In accordance with this approach, a hierarchical arrangement of models (e.g., a model pyramid) maybe employed where a global or parent model that encodes relationships across multiple co-located structures is used to obtain an initial, coarse fit. Subsequent processing by child sub-models add more detail and flexibility to the overall fit.

10-02-2014

20140363071

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A first frequency analysis unit performs frequency analysis on a reference radiographic image of plural radiographic images obtained by tomosynthesis imaging using a grid, and obtains a frequency characteristic of a periodic pattern caused by the grid and a frequency analysis result. A second frequency analysis unit performs, based on the frequency analysis result, limited frequency analysis on a radiographic image or images other than the reference radiographic image, and obtains a frequency characteristic of the periodic pattern about the radiographic image or images. A suppression unit performs, based on the frequency characteristic, processing for suppressing the periodic pattern in all of the radiographic images.

12-11-2014

20090103796

METHOD OF DISCRIMINATING BETWEEN RIGHT AND LEFT BREAST IMAGES AND BREAST RADIOGRAPHING SYSTEM - The control apparatus sets the destination for sending data of the designated image reading apparatus and the breast image radiographing apparatus to be the control apparatus when receiving request for radiographing start in the mammography mode from the control apparatus. The breast image radiographing apparatus reads cassette ID of loaded cassette, and sends it to the control apparatus after correlating the cassette ID with UID indicating the radiographing time. The image reading apparatus reads cassette ID of loaded cassette and sends it along with the read image data to the control apparatus. The control apparatus correlates the received image data with the UID by using the cassette ID as a key, discriminates between MLO-L image and MLO-R image, and discriminates CC-L and CC-R images based on the discrimination result and the radiographing order indicated by the UID.

04-23-2009

20090041327

LINEAR STRUCTURE VERIFICATION IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS - A method is disclosed for verifying linear structures in a digital mammographic image, comprising providing a configurable linear structure verifier in mammography computer assisted diagnosis system; optionally using an microcalcification candidate cluster driven linear structure verification methodology; selecting parameters for the linear structure verifier from a plurality of different parameter generating sources, at least one of which is controllable by human input; configuring the verifier according to selected parameters; and verifying linear structure using cascade rules.

02-12-2009

20090175528

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a radiation exposure condition; a radiation generation unit configured to generate a radiation beam according to the radiation exposure condition; a two-dimensional radiation sensor configured to transform the reached radiation beam into a radiation image data and output the radiation image data; a storage unit configured to store the radiation image data; a detecting unit configured to detect a scattered radiation fluctuation in the reached radiation beam based on a comparison of two radiation image data with different radiation exposure condition, where the two radiation image data are selected within the plurality of radiation image data stored in the storage unit; and an image processing unit configured to extract a outline of a region of interest from the radiation image data based on the scattered radiation fluctuation detected by the detecting unit.

X-RAY IMAGE ORIENTATION IN RADIOGRAPHY AND FLUOROSCOPY - In a method, apparatus, and computer program encoded with a data structure, for processing radiographic images and digital fluoroscopy radiographic (DFR) images acquired with the same imaging system using a single detector, three different types of image orientation are defined. These are a “system flip/rotation” that is dependent on the imaging system, a “pre-flip/rotation” orientation that is applied before the images are shown on a monitor, and a “post-flip/rotation” that is applied after an image is shown on the monitor. For this orientation change, the original image must be stored and subsequently manipulated. For pre-processing, DFR images are subjected only to the system flip/rotation, whereas radiographic images are subjected to the system flip/rotation as well as the pre-flip/rotation. For post-processing, both the DFR images and the radiographic images are subjected to the post-flip/rotation.

02-26-2009

20150117743

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING PANORAMIC X-RAY IMAGE - The present invention provides an apparatus and method for reconstructing a panoramic X-ray image. The apparatus includes a storage unit for storing image data of multiple image layers; an image processing unit for determining a reference image layer among the multiple image layers, finding blocks that correspond to at least one block designated in the reference image layer from other image layers, selecting a clearest block by comparing image data of the corresponding blocks, and reconstructing the reference image layer by replacing the designated block in the reference image layer with the clearest block selected in any of the other image layers, if the selected block is not the same as the designated block in the reference image layer; and a display unit for displaying a panoramic image of the reconstructed reference image layer.

04-30-2015

20150055849

System and method for gradient assisted non-connected automatic Region (GANAR) analysis - A system and method for analyzing medical images of a subject includes acquiring the medical images of the subject and texture images. A computer system determines, using the medical images and the texture feature images, a plurality of segmentation surfaces by iteratively adjusting a relationship between a region growing algorithm that selects a region of interest (ROI) to determine a given segmentation surface and cost function for evaluating the given segmentation surface. The computer system generates a report using the plurality of segmentation surfaces indicating at least boundaries between anatomical structures with functional differences in the medical images.

02-26-2015

20100080437

IMAGE CAPTURING CONTROL APPARATUS - There is provided an image capturing control apparatus including: a communication unit which communicates with a radiographic imaging apparatus which captures a radiographic image represented by irradiated radiation and generates image information indicating the captured radiographic image; a radiation irradiating unit which is provided with a radiation source for generating the radiation and irradiates the radiation from the radiation source; a storage unit which stores correction information for correcting the radiographic image generated by the radiographic imaging apparatus; and a controller which controls an alarm unit to issue an alarm in a case where the radiation source provided to the radiation irradiating unit or a part which influences irradiation by the radiation source is replaced.

04-01-2010

20090067700

Presentation of computer-aided detection/diagnosis (CAD) results - A user may be provided with identified regions of interest superimposed on a larger image, which may permit the user to individually examine the regions of interest. The regions of interest may be independently windowed and/or leveled and/or magnified according to parameters associated with the region of interest, which parameters may be generated by a computer-aided detection algorithm.

Visualization Method and Imaging System - A method is provided for visualization of hollow organs of a patient. An x-ray image dataset of the hollow organ is recorded and registered. A number of individual x-ray images are recorded during a movement of an instrument with a data capture unit through the hollow organ, with each individual x-ray image featuring time information. Datasets of a data capture unit of an instrument is recorded during the movement of the instrument, with each dataset featuring time information. Position of the instrument is determined based on the individual x-ray images by an image recognition algorithm. The datasets of the data capture unit and the position of the instrument is spatially assigned based on the time information of the datasets of the data capture unit and the individual x-ray images. The datasets of the data capture unit is jointly displayed with the x-ray image dataset.

03-31-2011

20120148139

MEDICAL IMAGE DIAGNOSIS DEVICE AND MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS SUPPORT METHOD - A medical image diagnosis device according to an embodiment includes: a mask image generation unit that generates a plurality of mask images that are different in terms of time; a first image generation unit that calculates differences between a plurality of the mask images, and extracts an image of a preceding device that is placed and kept in a blood vessel; a second image generation unit that generates a real-time fluoroscopic image depicting a situation where an insertion device is being inserted into a blood vessel, calculates a difference between the real-time fluoroscopic image and the mask image, and generates an image of the insertion device; an image synthesis unit that synthesizes images generated by the first image generation unit and the second image generation unit; and a display unit that displays an image generated by the image synthesis unit.

06-14-2012

20120045111

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD TO DETERMINE SUSPECT REGIONS IN A TISSUE MATRIX, AND USE THEREOF FOR 3D NAVIGATION THROUGH THE TISSUE MATRIX - A method to generate a final image with a medical imaging system, wherein the final image highlights suspect regions in a tissue matrix and wherein the final image is generated from a first image and from previously acquired images of the tissue matrix is provided. The method comprises: creating a 3D map of suspicion from the previously acquired medical images; generating a 2D map of suspicion by projecting all or part of the 3D map of suspicion onto a plane from a point reproducing the conditions of acquisition of the first image; and generating a final 2D image of the tissue matrix from the first image and/or from the 2D map of suspicion, wherein the final 2D image highlights suspect regions in the tissue matrix.

Imaging, Data Acquisition, Data Transmission, and Data Distribution Methods and Systems for High Data Rate Tomographic X-Ray Scanners - The present invention is an X-ray system having a source-detector module, which includes X-ray sources and detectors, for scanning an object being inspected, a scan engine coupled to the source-detector module for collecting scan data from the source detector module, an image reconstruction engine coupled to the scan engine for converting the collected scan data into one or more X-ray images, and a scan controller coupled with at least one of the source detector module, the scan engine, and the image reconstruction engine optimize operations of the X-ray system.

12-02-2010

20120141009

X-RAY EXPLOSIVE IMAGER - A technique for use in security screening and detection contexts employs an X-ray explosive imager that acquires images from backscattered RF modulated X-ray signals on which a time series analysis is performed to detect image change across the time series of images that represent pixels changing at the rate of the difference frequency of the RF frequency and the a priori NQR signature frequencies.

06-07-2012

20120237105

ABLATION TREATMENT PLANNING AND DEVICE - An ablation treatment planning and, optionally, guiding method usable for e.g. tumour tissue ablation with a cryoablation needle which cools down an adjacent tumour tissue to thereby generate an ablation volume is proposed. In order to be able to plan an ablation treatment, a 3D image data set of a region of interest may be acquired by e.g. X-ray imaging using e.g. a C-arm system. Then, 3D model data of the ablation volume are introduced into the 3D image data set for example by tagging image pixels using a stencil buffer and possibly by culling specific inside areas and/or outside areas of the ablation volume. Finally, a 2D image to be visualized to a physician and comprising a projection of the region of interest and the ablation volume is drawn wherein an MPR (multi planar reformatting) plane in which the 2D image is drawn is used as a clipping plane. With such graphical approach, an ablation volume having any arbitrary shape such as for example an ellipsoid shape may be visualized within a 3D image space by drawing 2D images in any desired MPR plane such that also oblique orientations of the ablation volume can be represented. In a subsequent guiding procedure, an ablation needle may be guided to a location and in an orientation as previously planned.

09-20-2012

20120207374

System and Method for Image Reconstruction By Using Multi-Sheet Surface Rebinning - The present application is directed toward the generation of three dimensional images in a tomography system having X-ray sources offset from detectors, in particular in a system where the sources are located on a plane, while detectors are located on multiple parallel planes, parallel to the plane of sources and all the planes of detectors lie on one side of the plane of sources. A controller operates to rebin detected X-rays onto a non-flat surface, perform two dimensional reconstruction on the surface, and generate the three dimensional image from reconstructed images on the plurality of surfaces.

08-16-2012

20120014583

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND DEVICE, AND MEDICAL IMAGING INSTRUMENT - An image processing method and device, and a medical instrument are provided to perform equalization processing on a residual image obtained by decomposing an input image, and perform composition processing on the equalized residual image and a detail image obtained by decomposing the input image to obtain a result image.

Method for Brightness Level Calculation in the Area of Interest of the Digital X-Ray Image for Medical Applications - The invention relates to methods for evaluation a level of brightness in the area of interest of the digital x-ray image for medical applications by means of the image histogram using a neural network. The calculations comprise of: image acquisition, image histogram calculation, converting histogram values into input arguments of the neural network and output values of the neural network acquiring. As input arguments of the neural network the histogram values calculated with the given class interval and normalized to unit are used. The level of brightness is calculated as a linear function of the output value of the neural network. Neural network learning is performed using a learning set calculated on the base of the given image database; as a set of target values the levels of brightness calculated for each image over the area of interest and scaled to the range of the activation function of a neuron in the output layer of the neural network are used.

01-19-2012

20120014585

RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - A multiple resolution converting means administers multiple resolution conversion on a plurality of radiation images, which are targets of comparison, to generate a plurality of band images having different frequency bands. An image processing means administers image processes on the plurality of band images having corresponding frequency bands to match the appearances thereof, based on anatomical information of structures included in the mammogram MA reconstructing means reconstructs the band images, on which the image processes have been administered, to generate processed radiation images.

X-RAY IMAGE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - The present invention is an image processing apparatus that reconstructs one frame of image data using block-level image data, including a unit that receives the block-level image data to which position information has been added, a unit that determines whether or not there was an error in the transmission of the received position information, a first storage area used for storing the block-level image data corresponding to the position information for which a transmission error did not occur, a second storage area used for storing the block-level image data corresponding to the position information for which a transmission error occurred, a unit that infers correct position information for the block-level image data stored in the second storage area based on the first storage area and the second storage area, and a unit that reconstructs the one frame of image data using the inferred position information.

03-08-2012

20120057772

COMPUTER-AIDED TUBING DETECTION - A method for detecting tubing in a radiographic image of a patient, executed at least in part by a control logic processor, obtains a radiographic image data for a patient and detects one or more possible tube segments in the image. At least one tubing candidate is formed by growing at least one detected tube segment or merging two or more detected tube segments.

03-08-2012

20120057770

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECONSTRUCTING IMAGE AND MEDICAL IMAGE SYSTEM EMPLOYING THE METHOD - A method and apparatus for reconstructing an image and a medical image system are provided. An image reconstruction processing method may include acquiring an initial value with respect to a tomographic image of an object to be inspected, initializing an auxiliary variable, acquiring one or both of a weighted value and an error value, based on a measured value, transforming a measured image signal, updating the auxiliary variable using a transform coefficient used to transform the measured image signal, and updating the measured value using the updated auxiliary variable, and one or both of the acquired weighted value and the error value.

03-08-2012

20130336566

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECONSTRUCTING IMAGE AND MEDICAL IMAGE SYSTEM EMPLOYING THE METHOD - A method and apparatus for reconstructing an image and a medical image system are provided. An image reconstruction processing method may include acquiring an initial value with respect to a tomographic image of an object to be inspected, initializing an auxiliary variable, acquiring one or both of a weighted value and an error value, based on a measured value, transforming a measured image signal, updating the auxiliary variable using a transform coefficient used to transform the measured image signal, and updating the measured value using the updated auxiliary variable, and one or both of the acquired weighted value and the error value.

12-19-2013

20130071001

DETERMINING THE SPECIFIC ORIENTATION OF AN OBJECT - The present invention relates to the determination of the specific orientation of an object. In order to provide enhanced positioning information of an object to a user, a medical imaging system and a method for operating of a medical imaging system are proposed wherein 2D image data (

03-21-2013

20100329533

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus for performing tone conversion on an image imaged by an X-ray imaging system extracts a reference region that is to serve as a reference for the image, and, if there is a change in the image, performs tone conversion so as to suppress variation in contrast resulting from the change in the image in the extracted reference region, and so as to reflect variation in the contrast in the remaining region.

12-30-2010

20100329532

X-RAY INSPECTING APPARATUS AND X-RAY INSPECTING METHOD - An X-ray inspecting apparatus capable of high-speed inspection of a prescribed inspection area of an object of inspection is provided. The X-ray inspecting apparatus includes: a scanning X-ray source for outputting X-ray; an X-ray detector driving unit on which a plurality of X-ray detectors are mounted, and capable of driving the plurality of X-ray detectors independently; and an image acquisition control mechanism controlling acquisition of image data by X-ray detector driving unit and X-ray detectors. A scanning X-ray source emits X-ray while moving the X-ray focal point of the X-ray source to each of X-ray emission originating positions set for each X-ray detector such that the X-ray passes through a prescribed inspection area of an object of inspection and enters each X-ray detector. Image pick-up by some of the X-ray detectors and movement of other X-ray detectors to an image pick-up position are executed in parallel and alternately. An image acquisition control unit acquires the image data picked-up by X-ray detectors, and a computing unit reconstructs an image in the inspection area based on the image data.

12-30-2010

20140064593

METHOD FOR GENERATING A SOLID MODEL OF A HEART AND ASSOCIATED C-ARM X-RAY EQUIPMENT - A method for generating a solid model of a heart in a predetermined phase of its periodic pumping movement is proposed. During a single C-arm rotation of a C-arm X-ray unit an electrocardiogram signal with consecutive RR intervals is observed by an EKG trigger. In each RR interval a digital X-ray image is generated by EKG triggering of the C-arm X-ray unit as soon as a time difference between the current phase and the predetermined phase is less than a predetermined value. For each of the X-ray images in addition a parameter influencing the geometry of the C-arm X-ray unit is ascertained. The solid model is generated from several of the X-ray images. At least one X-ray image is selected from each RR interval and for each of the selected X-ray images a projection data set for the calculation of the solid model is ascertained by the ascertained parameter.

03-06-2014

20120155737

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - In one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a difference image generating unit and a display controlling unit. The difference image generating unit generates a difference image by calculating a difference in a second X-ray transmission image from a first X-ray transmission image, the second X-ray transmission image being an image in which a myocardial tissue of an examined subject is not opacified and the first X-ray transmission image being an image in which the myocardial tissue of the examined subject is opacified with a contrast agent that has been injected into a coronary artery. The display controlling unit exercises control so that a predetermined display unit displays the difference image that has been generated by the difference image generating unit.

06-21-2012

20110222753

Adjusting Radiological Images - In one embodiment, an image processing system can be configured to generate and adjust a radiological image. Upon receiving input via a user interface control indicating a specified adjustment in slab thickness of the radiological image, and upon receiving input via a user interface control indicating a specified reconstruction technique, the image processing system can generate an adjusted radiological image based on the received input, and can present the image on a display.

09-15-2011

20120170827

IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE APPARATUS AND THE SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM - An imaging apparatus includes a control unit and a detector that includes multiple pixels and that performs an image capturing operation to output image data corresponding to emitted radiation or light. The image capturing operation includes a first image capturing operation in which the detector is scanned in a first scanning area corresponding to part of the multiple pixels to output image data in the first scanning area and a second image capturing operation in which the detector is scanned in a second scanning area larger than the first scanning area to output image data in the second scanning area. The control unit causes the detector to perform an initialization operation to initialize the conversion element during a period between the first image capturing operation and the second image capturing operation in accordance with switching from the first scanning area to the second scanning area.

07-05-2012

20120301008

Method for acquiring a 3D image dataset associated with an image object - A method for acquiring a 3D image dataset is proposed. A 3D X-ray image dataset of an image object is acquired during scanning of a partial circle by X-ray radiation source and X-ray radiation detector. A first and a second 3D image datasets are calculated from the acquired image dataset. Redundancies are eliminated by averaging the first and second 3D image datasets. A filtering that is antisymmetric in respect of a center of symmetry is performed in respect of the 2D image datasets in calculating the second 3D image dataset. Said filtering has a row-by-row Hilbert transform. Suitable weights can be specified based on an axis defined in space.

11-29-2012

20120063662

METHOD FOR PROCESSING IMAGE, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND MEDICAL IMAGE SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING THE SAME - An image processing apparatus is provided. The image processing apparatus includes an extraction unit configured to extract a low-frequency band component and a high-frequency band component from a radiation image formed by passing through a subject, a contrast enhancement processing unit configured to perform a contrast enhancement process to the extracted low-frequency band component, a detail enhancement processing unit configured to perform a detail enhancement process to the extracted high-frequency band component, a synthesis unit configured to synthesize an image resulting from performing the contrast enhancement process and an image resulting from performing the detail enhancement process, and a generation unit configured to reconstruct the synthesized image and generate a diagnosis image.

03-15-2012

20130058556

X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC METHOD AND STENT FOR X-RAY DIAGNOSIS - According to one embodiment, an X-ray diagnostic apparatus includes a data acquiring unit and a data processing unit. The data acquiring unit acquires X-ray projection data corresponding to plural directions from an object in which a stent having markers has been inserted by exposing X-rays to the object from the plural directions. The data processing unit obtains a spatial position corresponding to at least one marker out of the markers based on first three dimensional image data generated by first image reconstruction processing of the X-ray projection data to generate second three dimensional image data by second image reconstruction processing of the X-ray projection data with a correction using a shift amount obtained based on the X-ray projection data and projected data of the one marker on a projected plane of the X-ray projection data.

03-07-2013

20130058555

AUTOMATIC POSE INITIALIZATION FOR ACCURATE 2-D/3-D REGISTRATION APPLIED TO ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM ENDOVASCULAR REPAIR - A method for automatically initializing pose for registration of 2D fluoroscopic abdominal aortic images with a 3D model of an abdominal aorta includes detecting a 2D iliac bifurcation and a 2D renal artery bifurcation from a sequence of 2D fluoroscopic abdominal aortic images, detecting a spinal centerline in a 2D fluoroscopic spine image, providing a 3D iliac bifurcation and a 3D renal artery bifurcation from a 3D image volume of the patient's abdomen, and a 3D spinal centerline from the 3D image volume of the patient's abdomen, and determining pose parameters {x, y, z, θ}, where (x, y) denotes the translation on a table plane, z denotes a depth of the table, and θ is a rotation about the z axis, by minimizing a cost function of the 2D and 3D iliac bifurcations, the 2D and 3D renal artery bifurcation, and the 2D and 3D spinal centerlines.

03-07-2013

20100177949

RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - In the radiographic apparatus of this invention, a composite image generating device generates a composite high-voltage/low-voltage image for every time of the same high voltage/low voltage based on a plurality of high-voltage/low-voltage images successively acquired by a high-voltage/low-voltage image acquiring device. Based on the composite high-voltage/low-voltage image generated by the composite image generating device, a subtraction processing device carries out a subtraction process concerning high-voltage images and low-voltage images, to acquire subtraction images. Thus, a mistake by arithmetic processing is made inconspicuous without causing a dose shortage.

07-15-2010

20100128955

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND ARCHIVING X-RAY FLUOROSCOPY IMAGES - Methods and apparatus for generating and archiving x-ray fluoroscopy images are provided. The method includes obtaining x-ray fluoroscopy data comprising a plurality of image frames and performing image enhancement, including motion correction, based on a subset of the acquired plurality of x-ray fluoroscopy image frames to generate a single enhanced x-ray image.

05-27-2010

20130004050

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SCATTER CORRECTION IN X-RAY IMAGING - Approaches for deriving scatter information using inverse tracking of scattered X-rays is disclosed. In certain embodiments scattered rays are tracked from respective locations on a detector to a source of the X-ray radiation, as opposed to tracking schemes that proceed from the source to the detector. In one such approach, the inverse tracking is implemented using a density integrated volume that reduces the integration steps performed.

01-03-2013

20130004052

SUBTRACTION OF PROJECTION DATA IN MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING - Background information is subtracted from projection data in medical diagnostic imaging. The background is removed using data acquired in a single rotational sweep of a C-arm. The removal may be by masking out a target, leaving the background, in the data as constructed into a volume. For subtraction, the masked background information is projected to a plane and subtracted from the data representing the plane.

01-03-2013

20130004051

METHOD FOR ACQUIRING A 3D IMAGE DATASET FOR AN IMAGE OBJECT - A method for acquiring a 3D image dataset for an image object based on a plurality of 2D image datasets relating to the image object is proposed. A scattered radiation is taken into account in an acquisition operator used in the method for the optimum reconstruction of the 3D image dataset. The acquisition operator should be as close as possible to the real mapping operator.

01-03-2013

20110103675

Integrating Auxiliary Detection And Voting Algorithms Into Clinical CAD Workflow - Methods, systems, and related computer program products for computer-aided detection (CAD) of anatomical abnormalities in medical images are described. A preexisting CAD environment includes a review workstation and a primary CAD processor programmed with a primary CAD algorithm. Installed into the preexisting CAD environment is an auxiliary processing system programmed to receive a first CAD report from the primary CAD processor, apply an auxiliary CAD algorithm that is independent of the primary CAD algorithm to the underlying medical image, apply a voting algorithm to the primary and auxiliary CAD findings, and generate a second CAD report that includes the voting results. The second CAD report is configured to result in a rendering by the review workstation that is highly similar to a rendering that would result from the first CAD report except that the voted CAD findings are substituted in place of the primary CAD findings.

05-05-2011

20130094746

NOISE SUPPRESSION IN CONE BEAM CT PROJECTION DATA - A method for suppressing noise in a diagnostic 3-D image, executed at least in part on a logic processor, captures, at each of a number of projection angles, 2-D image projection data, wherein each 2-D image projection has a central pixel and arranges the 2-D image projection data to form a 3-D data set. Each of the 2-D image projections is processed by performing a diffusion filtering process that obtains a homogeneity value for the 3-D data set, generates a diffusion conductance function according to an intensity gradient between adjacent digital image elements, and applies the diffusion filtering process to digital image elements according to the obtained homogeneity value, the generated diffusion conductance function, and a weighting value that relates to the distance of each pixel in the projection from the central pixel. The diagnostic 3-D image is reconstructed from the processed 2-D image projections.

04-18-2013

20100290691

EXAMINATION OF A REGION USING DUAL-ENERGY RADIATION - A first image including a projection of a portion is generated based on data representing attenuation of higher-energy radiation having a peak energy of at least 1 MeV that passes through a portion of an inspection volume. A second image including a projection of the portion is generated based on data representing attenuation of lower-energy radiation passing through the portion of the inspection volume. A dual-pixel image is created from the first image and the second image. A region of interest is selected from the dual-pixel image. A first basis function that is derived from an attenuation characteristic associated with the region of interest is selected. The region of interest is represented in terms of an amplitude associated with the first basis function and an amplitude associated with the second basis function.

11-18-2010

20100239153

IMAGE GUIDED RADIOSURGERY METHOD AND APPARATUS USING REGISTRATION OF 2D RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES WITH DIGITALLY RECONSTRUCTED RADIOGRAPHS OF 3D SCAN DATA - A set of 2D reconstructed images is generated from a pretreatment 3D scan showing an initial position of a target, wherein the set of 2D reconstructed images corresponds to perturbations from said initial position along fewer than six degrees of freedom. Said set of 2D reconstructed images are registered with one or more 2D x-ray images of said target showing a current position of the target, wherein the registering includes computing a set of 3D transformation parameters that represent a change in position of said target between said initial position of said pretreatment 3D scan and said current position of said 2D x-ray images along six degrees of freedom. A positioning system is instructed to adjust a relative position of a radiosurgical beam generator to said target by an amount prescribed by said 3D transformation parameters, wherein said target is allowed six degrees of freedom of position

09-23-2010

20090169086

Method and device for improving perceptibility different structures on radiographs - The invention relates to a method for improving the perceptibility of different structures on radiographs by means of an image processing device consisting a) in storing a radiograph in electronic form as a local space-intensity distribution, b) in carrying out a Fourier transformation for determining a frequency-intensity distribution, c) in filtering said frequency-intensity distribution by modifying weighting between the high-frequency and low-frequency image signal components, wherein the fixing of the image signal components to be more intensively weighted is carried out taking into account the mean structure size of said structures whose perceptibility is to be improved, d) in carrying out an inverse Fourier transformation of the filtered frequency-intensity distribution in order to obtain a modified space-intensity distribution in which said structures are more easily perceptible. The image contrast for the hardly perceptible structures may be selectively improved by means of a changed weighting for the high-frequency, relative to the low-frequency, image signal components in the Fourier spectrum because the structures hardly perceptible on the radiographs, for example soft tissue parts having a size quantity and structuring different from easily perceptible structures as bones and implantants.

07-02-2009

20100208972

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING X-RAY INSPECTION OF A LIQUID PRODUCT AT A SECURITY CHECKPOINT - A method, an apparatus and a system are provided for assessing at a security checkpoint the threat status of a liquid product, where the liquid product is comprised of a bottle at least partially filled with liquid. In accordance with a broad aspect, the level of fill is used as a factor in the determination of the threat status of the liquid product. In accordance with another broad aspect, an X-ray image of the liquid product is obtained and processed to derive a level of fill of the bottle and the threat status of the liquid product is determined at least in part based on the level of fill of the bottle. In accordance with yet another broad aspect, an X-ray image of the liquid product is processed to derive location information associated with a meniscus formed by the liquid in the bottle. An estimated length of a path followed by X-rays through the liquid held in the bottle is derived in part based on the location information and is used to determine the threat status of the liquid product.

08-19-2010

20120163695

INTRA-DETECTOR SCATTER CORRECTION - Intra-detector scatter correction methods to improve X-ray images. The method of correcting an X-ray image includes: receiving an original two-dimensional X-ray image; calculating a theoretical scattered image for a array of detector pixels by generating a theoretical point spread (TPS) function of a single pixel for a single line array of detector pixels, based on a system parameter; aggregating the TPS function into a full rotation of line arrays, so as to generating a TPS function for a 2-dimensional array of pixels; and applying the TPS function for a 2-dimensional array of pixels to a plurality of pixels in the detector; and then subtracting the theoretical scattered image from the original two-dimensional X-ray image, so as to create an improved X-ray image.

06-28-2012

20090087069

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING RADIATION IMAGE - A radiation image processing apparatus includes a radiation source for irradiating the subject with the radiation, the subject being applied with a fixation material, a radiation source controller for controlling the radiation source in accordance with different image capturing conditions, a radiation converting panel for converting the radiation into one of the pieces of radiation image information, a processing condition memory for storing a plurality of processing conditions, each including the image capturing conditions that correspond to a type of the fixation material, a processing condition selector for selecting one of the processing conditions, the selected one of the processing conditions corresponding to the type of the fixation material, and an image processor for processing in accordance with the selected processing condition the plurality of pieces of radiation image information that are provided by the radiation converting panel under the different image capturing conditions, respectively.

04-02-2009

20100177946

SEMI-AUTOMATIC CONTOUR DETECTION - A method of locating a contour of a structure in an image by processing said image including the structure is provided. A starting set of digital data representative of the image including the structure is taken, the structure in said image having annotated on it from three to ten landmark positions. A statistical model of said structure to the landmark positions annotated on the image is fitted and an initial estimate of the contour of the structure made. Using grey level information derived from points adjacent the estimated contour the contour boundary is iteratively moved to produce a final estimate of the contour of the structure.

07-15-2010

20110002524

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TONE SCALE CURVE GENERATION - A method and device for generating an adaptive image tone scale curve and an image processing system including the device are provided. The method may include determining an abscissa and an ordinate of a reference control point and a reference slope of a curve passing the reference control point according to an image of different tissue sites and/or different orientations depending upon one or more practical requirements; calculating an average value of pixels in an area of interest in the image and using the average value as a current image feature value; constructing an S-shaped reference tone scale curve equation by using the coordinates of the reference control point and the reference slope; and substituting coordinates of a new control point and a slope of a curve passing the new control point into the S-shaped reference tone scale curve equation to calculate parameters therein, so as to obtain the adaptive image tone scale curve.

01-06-2011

20120250973

MEDICAL IMAGING APPARATUS AND MEDICAL IMAGE DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - An X-ray diagnosis apparatus displays X-ray moving images by irradiating a subject with X-rays and detecting X-rays that have penetrated the subject, and includes a selection mechanism and a display. The selection mechanism selects images of high importance from among the X-ray moving images based on working-state information related to the working state of the operator performing surgery on the subject. The display list displays the selected images as thumbnails.

10-04-2012

20120170825

SYNCHRONIZATION OF MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEMS - A method for interventional imaging of synchronizing a first dataset with a second dataset is provided. The datasets represent a region of interest in a patient, wherein the first dataset and the second dataset each corresponding to two different types of information on the region of interest and wherein the datasets are acquired by separate medical systems. The method comprises aligning the first dataset and the second dataset with at least two signals representing a physiological activity of the patient, the at least two signals having been recorded by the medical systems on a common time scale with the time scale used for acquiring the datasets.

X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR COMPUTER PROGRAM - An inter-image subtracting unit acquires a subtraction image by performing subtraction processing among a plurality of X-ray images that are obtained when an image of an object is captured at different times. A predetermined-region extracting unit extracts a predetermined region from one of the plurality of X-ray images. A region extracting unit extracts a region based on a contrast-agent injection region from a region of the subtraction image corresponding to the predetermined region.

10-04-2012

20120076389

Controlling the Number of Iterations in Image Reconstruction - An iterative reconstruction method to reconstruct an object includes determining, in a series of iteration steps, updated objects, wherein each iteration step includes determining a data model from an input object, and determining a stop-criterion of the data model on the basis of a chi-square-gamma statistic. The method further includes determining that the stop-criterion of the data model has transitioned from being outside the limitation of a preset threshold value to being inside the limitation, ending the iterations, and selecting one of the updated objects to be the reconstructed object.

03-29-2012

20120076388

RADIOLOGICAL IMAGE DISPLAYING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided is a technique of displaying auxiliary lines so as to make it easy to catch the sense of depth when displaying a stereoscopic image using radiological images. Auxiliary lines are added on two radiological images for displaying a stereoscopic image, respectively. The auxiliary lines are made up of a plurality of grids appearing to be arranged in the depth direction, and the display modes of adjacent grids are different. For example, at least one of the colors, thicknesses, kinds, luminance levels, blinking methods, and directions of the lines of the adjacent grids are different.

03-29-2012

20120177277

LIVE REGISTRATION FOR VESSEL TREATMENT - The present invention relates to accurate positioning for vessel intervention procedures, particularly to a method for accurate positioning for vessel intervention procedures, a medical imaging system for accurate positioning for vessel intervention procedures and a catheterization laboratory system for accurate positioning for vessel intervention procedures. First, at least one X-ray image of a vessel region of interest is acquired (

07-12-2012

20100272344

IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND X-RAY DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - An X-ray perfusion-image creating unit creates an X-ray perfusion image indicating blood flow dynamics in a certain organ from an X-ray projection image of a subject given with a contrast agent. An image correction unit extracts thickness information indicating the thickness of a myocardium from a three-dimensional image taken by an X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) apparatus. Moreover, the image correction unit creates a corrected perfusion image in which the thickness of the myocardium in the X-ray perfusion image is corrected, based on the thickness information. A display unit then displays the corrected perfusion image.

10-28-2010

20100166286

Motion artefact reduction in CT scanning - An example of sporadic motion that causes difficulty in CT scanning is gas pockets moving around the rectum. The invention allows the automatic detection of such movements, by enhancing low density features around the prostate in the individual X-ray images, projecting these features on the cranio-caudal axis (assuming that the gas predominantly moves in this direction) to form a 1-dimensional image, and combining successive ID projections to form a 2D image. Moving gas will produce tilted lines in this image, identifying an angular range that needs to be discarded. Such a process can be used in an image processing apparatus of a CT scanner.

Apparatus and Method for Reconstructing an Image Using High-Energy-Based Data - An apparatus reconstructs an image using high energy-based data regarding a scene provides access to first image-capture data regarding the scene that is formed using a first image-capture modality and to second image-capture data that is formed using a second (different) image-capture modality. A control circuit executes an iterative image reconstruction process that establishes a first and a second image-representation channel, a fidelity error measure that measures inconsistency of the image as compared to first image-capture data and second image-capture data, and a prior-penalty term that scores the image based on a priori likelihood or desirability using, at least in part, for each of a plurality of pixels, a non-separable matrix-penalty of a Jacobian-matrix of the image at that pixel, such as nuclear norm. The control circuit further utilizes, in combination with the foregoing, an iterative process to generate a reconstructed image that at least approximately minimizes a combination of the fidelity error measure and the prior-penalty term.

05-07-2015

20120321167

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING STEREOSCOPIC X-RAY IMAGE - A method of providing a stereoscopic X-ray image is provided. The method includes acquiring X-ray images captured at respective rotation angles with respect to a part of a patient to be examined while rotating around the part to be examined, and in response to information regarding a viewpoint with respect to the part to be examined being input, using X-ray images at respective rotation angles corresponding to the viewpoint from among the acquired X-ray images to generate a three-dimensional (

12-20-2012

20110123087

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEASUREMENT OF OBJECTS OF INTEREST IN MEDICAL IMAGES - A system and method are provided for the measurement and display of attributes of an object of interest in a medical image. An object of interest is identified, such as a lesion or cluster of lesions in a breast area on a mammography image. At least one attribute of the lesion is then automatically measured, such as the area of the lesion, the width and height of a cluster of lesions, the number of lesions in a cluster, or the distance from one or more lesions to an anatomical feature such as the nipple, skin line or chest wall. The measurements are then displayed to a user, for example by displaying the measurements on the mammography image. Additionally, anatomical zones, such as standard, quadrant and clock zones of the breast area may be determined and displayed on the mammography image or diagram to display the location of the lesion as it corresponds to the zones.

05-26-2011

20110123086

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING MEDICAL IMAGES - A system and method is provided for enhancing a region of interest in a medical image to improve its visibility. A region of interest is first identified in the medical image, such as identifying a breast region in a mammography image. The identified region of interest is then enhanced using an image processing technique, for example by adjusting the intensity or contrast, or by performing edge enhancement. Other regions of the medical image outside the region of interest remain unaltered, or may be diminished, such that the clarity of the region of interest is improved in comparison with the other regions of the medical image. A user viewing the enhanced image is less distracted by the non-enhanced regions and is not required to adjust the image on his or her own. The user can more quickly and effectively review the medical image to identify abnormalities and diagnose disease.

05-26-2011

20110123084

MARKER IDENTIFICATION AND PROCESSING IN X-RAY IMAGES - A mechanism for rapidly detecting and localizing external markers placed on a patient in projection images. Embodiments of the invention allow the markers to be detected even in the presence of dense surrounding anatomy and extensive patient motion. Once the positions of the marker points on the projection images are extracted, the marker points can be used to perform marker-based patient motion detection. Embodiments of the invention can also be used outside of motion correction, such as for scanner calibration, automatic cephalometric measurements, and quality control assessment.

05-26-2011

20090003680

Method for segmenting a myocardial wall and device for detecting a coronary artery with pathological changes - The present invention relates to a method for segmenting a myocardial wall with the following steps: recording a first data record and a second data record in the same cardiac phase by means of x-ray radiation with differing radiation intensities, reconstructing the myocardial wall from the first and second data record. To generate a detailed and complete reconstruction of the myocardial wall, it is proposed that the method be supplemented by the following steps: separating an inside and an outside of the myocardial wall from the data record recorded with higher radiation intensity, and separating tissue interspersing the myocardial wall between the inside and the outside, in particular fatty tissue, from the data record recorded with lower radiation intensity.

01-01-2009

20130163843

METHOD OF PROCESSING RADIOGRAPH AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING RADIOGRAPH USING THE METHOD - Provided are an apparatus and a method for processing a radiograph which is capable of precisely detecting a region of interest. The apparatus includes: an inputter that outputs an input image obtained by irradiating radioactive rays; and a line detector that performs a Hough transform on the input image, senses at least one edge line based on the Hough-transformed input image, performs a Radon transform in a region in which the at least one edge line is sensed, and obtains an edge line of the at least one edge line as a first collimation line one based on a result of the Radon transform.

06-27-2013

20090080756

Method and system for correcting butting artifacts in X-ray images - A method and system for correcting butting artifacts in x-ray images is disclosed. In order to correct a butting artifact in an x-ray image, a butting artifact region in the x-ray image is normalized. Multiple intensity shift estimators are calculated for each pixel of each line of the butting artifact. Confidence intervals are calculated for each intensity shift estimator. A multiple hypothesis hidden Markov model (MH-HMM) is formulated based on the intensity shift operators and confidence measures subject to a smoothness constraint, and the MH-HMM is solved to determine intensity shift values for each pixel. A corrected image is generated by adjusting the intensity of each pixel of the butting artifact based on the intensity shift value for that pixel.

03-26-2009

20090080755

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING RADIATION IMAGE - The present invention relates to a radiation image processing apparatus and a processing method. A processing condition selector selects from a processing condition memory a processing condition for extraction or removal of a specific object in radiation image information. The processing condition includes two different image capturing conditions which are provided to a radiation source controller. The radiation source controller controls a radiation source with each image capturing condition to apply radiation to a subject and a solid-state radiation detector stores radiation image information of the subject. An image processor performs a weighted subtraction using stored radiation image information in accordance with the processing condition to achieve extraction or removal of the specific object. The resultant radiation image information is displayed on a display unit.

03-26-2009

20090080754

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING RADIATION IMAGE - The invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing a radiation image. For a subject area, a radiation image signal corrected for leak charge is obtained by subtracting, from a GateOn signal obtained by turning on a transistor switch of a detecting element of a radiation detector, a GateOff signal obtained by turning off the transistor switch. A threshold value is less than or equal to a pixel saturation value. For an unblocked area where the radiation image signal is greater than the threshold value, the GateOn signal is utilized as the radiation image signal.

03-26-2009

20090080752

Breast tomosynthesis with display of highlighted suspected calcifications - Systems and methods that facilitate the presentation and assessment of selected features in projection and/or reconstructed breast images, such as calcifications that meet selected criteria of size, shape, presence in selected slice images, distribution of pixels that could be indicative of calcification relative to other pixels or of other image features of clinical interest.

03-26-2009

20130259356

Method For Reducing Direct Hit Artifacts And X-Ray Facility - A method for reducing artifacts produced by x-ray radiation directly striking a measuring pixel of a CMOS detector after crossing a scintillator, wherein, for an x-ray image recorded using the CMOS detector, artifact image points are extracted by applying a local, edge-obtaining smoothing operator that evaluates image data of neighboring image points located in the vicinity of a considered image point and comparison with the image to which the smoothing operator was applied, and their image data is corrected.

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSOCIATING AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT MEDICAL FINDINGS WITH EACH OTHER - One embodiment of the invention is disclosed, related to a method for associating at least two different medical findings with each other, each of the findings being based on a characteristic area in a different set of images. The location of at least one anatomical landmark in relation to the respective characteristic area is determined in each in each of the different sets of images. Then a reference to the least one anatomical landmark is stored together with the respective finding for each of the at least two findings. Finally, pairs of associated findings based on a comparison of the respective references to the at least one anatomical landmark are identified among the at least two findings.

10-03-2013

20120237104

PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY SUITABLE FOR X-RAY PROJECTION IMAGING - A 2D or 3D velocity field is reconstructed from a cross-correlation analysis of image pairs of a sample, without first reconstructing images of the sample spatial structure. The method can be implemented via computer tomographic X-ray particle image velocimetry, using multiple projection angles, with phase contrast images forming dynamic speckle patterns. Estimated cross-correlations may be generated via convolution of a measured autocorrelation function with a velocity probability density function, and the velocity coefficients iteratively optimised to minimise the error between the estimated cross-correlations and the measured cross-correlations. The method may be applied to measure blood flow, and the motion of tissue and organs such as heart and lungs.

09-20-2012

20090214099

METHOD OF SUPPRESSING OBSCURING FEATURES IN AN IMAGE - A method of removing obscuring features of relatively standard size and shape from an image comprising the obscuring features, features of interest and background, comprising the steps of applying a geometric transformation to generate a transformed image with the obscuring features aligned with an axis of image; applying an attenuation algorithm to the transformed image to suppress features having a dimension in direction of axis of range appropriate to dimension of the obscuring features in similar alignment, and applying a reverse geometrical transformation to produce a modified image with obscuring features attenuated.

ENHANCED VISUALIZATION FOR MEDICAL IMAGES - A method for enhancing a radiographic image. The method includes obtaining image data for the radiographic image, generating conditioned image data by increasing differences between neighboring portions of at least a relatively uniform area of the radiographic image, generating an enhanced image by applying contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization to the conditioned image data, applying interpolation to the enhanced image, and displaying, storing, or transmitting the enhanced image.

10-18-2012

20130236079

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ANALYSING A REGION OF INTEREST IN AN OBJECT USING X-RAYS - A method and a device for analyzing a region of interest in an object is proposed. The method comprises: (a) providing measurement data by a differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system, and (b) analyzing characteristics of the object in the region of interest. Therein, the measurement data comprise a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional set of pixels wherein for each pixel the measurement data comprises three types of image data spatially aligned with each other, including (i) absorption representing image data A, (ii) differential phase contrast representing image data D, and (iii) coherence representing image data C. The analyzing step is based, for each pixel, on a combination of at least two of information comprised in the absorption representing image data A and information comprised in the differential phase contrast representing image data D and information comprised in the coherence representing image data C.

09-12-2013

20090041325

METHOD FOR DETECTING CLIPPED ANATOMY IN MEDICAL IMAGES - A method for detecting clipped anatomy in a radiographic image obtains image data for the radiographic image and arranges the image data according to a predetermined image orientation. A set is formed having one or more regions of interest that are located near the borders of the image. Image content is analyzed in each region of interest in the set and one or more regions with clipped anatomy are identified.

02-12-2009

20110235890

IMAGE PROVISION FOR REGISTRATION - The invention relates to a device and a method for providing a basis for registering a three-dimensional model of an anatomical region with two-dimensional projection images, by deriving a three-dimensional model of an anatomical region at a phase of a periodic signal; deriving two-dimensional projection images of a region which overlaps with the anatomical region re-constructed as the three-dimensional model; pre-5 selecting a subset of projection images out of the derived two-dimensional projection images, which are closest to the phase; and selecting a reference image for the registration from the subset of pre-selected projection images by choosing the projection image with the most contrast.

09-29-2011

20110235889

METHOD FOR ENHANCED VISUALIZATION OF OBJECTS IN INTERVENTIONAL ANGIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATIONS AND DEVICE FOR PERFORMING THE METHOD - A method for enhanced visualization of objects in interventional angiographic examinations is proposed. An empty image, a fill image with contrast-agent-filled vascular tree, and a native image and/or one further image with introduced object are acquired by a detector having a matrix-shaped array of pixels. The empty image is subtracted from the fill image to generate a subtraction image. The subtraction image is displaced by at least one pixel in the x- and/or y-direction and subsequently summed to generate a modified vessel image as a mask which has a substantially improved signal-to-noise ratio. The vascular tree in the modified vessel image is segmented to generate a segmentation image. The modified vessel image, the segmentation image with vascular tree, and the native image and/or further image are processed to generate a composite image. The composite image is played back.

09-29-2011

20110235887

Computer-Aided Evaluation Of An Image Dataset - A method and system for the diagnosis of 3D images are disclosed, which significantly cuts the time required for the diagnosis. The 3D images are for example an image volume dataset of a magnetic resonance tomography system which is saved in an RIS or PACS system. In at least one embodiment, the diagnostic finding are partially automatically generated, and details of the position, size and change in pathological structures are compared to previous diagnostic findings are generated automatically. As a result of this automation the diagnostic work of radiologists is significantly reduced.

09-29-2011

20140140604

METHOD FOR PROCESSING DUAL-ENERGY RADIOLOGICAL IMAGES - A method for processing radiological images of a region of interest in a patient, the method comprising obtaining a set of images of the region of interest comprising at least two images, acquired using a medical imaging system, each image of the set of images being acquired at one X-ray energy, determining at least one recombined image by recombining a plurality of images forming a sub-set of images of the set of images for each recombination, segmenting at least one image from among the set of images, to detect and isolate at least one zone of the region of interest, and merging with the at least one recombined image whereby the at least one zone of the region of interest derived from segmentation is merged so as to visualize the at least one zone in the recombined image.

05-22-2014

20140140603

CLAVICLE SUPPRESSION IN RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES - A method for clavicle suppression in a chest x-ray image. The method identifies the lung fields in the x-ray image and detects at least one portion of a clavicle ridge that lies outside the lung fields. Edges of a clavicle on each side of the detected clavicle ridge are detected, edge detection extended for the clavicle edges into the lung fields, and the clavicle defined within the x-ray image according to the edge detection. The clavicle is suppressed within the x-ray image to generate a clavicle-suppressed x-ray image and the clavicle-suppressed x-ray image is displayed, stored, or transmitted.

05-22-2014

20120328175

FLUOROSCOPY APPARATUS - A fluoroscopy apparatus includes a light-source device that generates illumination light and excitation light; a fluorescence-image generating unit that generates a fluorescence image based on irradiation with the excitation light; a white-light-image generating unit that generates a white-light image based on irradiation with the illumination light; a fluorescence-image correcting unit that generates a corrected fluorescence image by dividing the signal strengths of pixels in the fluorescence image by the signal strengths of pixels in the white-light image; a characteristic-value acquiring unit that extracts the characteristic value of the corrected fluorescence image; a threshold setting unit that sets a threshold for determining a region of interest in the corrected fluorescence image using a history of characteristic values extracted by the characteristic-value acquiring unit; and a pseudo-color-image generating unit that discriminates between a region of interest and another region in the corrected fluorescence image on the basis of the threshold.

12-27-2012

20130230227

DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY PLATE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM - Systems, devices, and methods for facilitating the automatic identification, sorting, and positioning of radiographic images. According to one embodiment of the subject invention, phosphorous plates for intra-oral imaging are encoded for automated image set identification, location, and orientation. In certain embodiments, a processing system is able to process encoded identifiers on the phosphorous plates with digitized images depicted on the phosphorous plates to automatically identify, sort, and rotate the digitized images into proper orientations for user viewing.

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - A radiographic image processing apparatus in this invention decreases a spatial resolution twice in total by a low-frequency image generating device and a low-frequency characteristic generating device. Thereby an influence such as noise and thus calculation amounts are decreased. Moreover, excessive characteristic amounts (patterns) not removed among characteristic amounts extracted through the low-frequency image generating device and a characteristic extracting device can be decreased by decrease of the spatial resolution by the low-frequency characteristic generating device. Consequently, influence such as noise and calculation amounts can be decreased for the low-frequency characteristics generated by the low-frequency characteristic generating device and a radiation area extracted by an area extracting device on the latter stage. As a result, influences such as noise can be decreased for achieving characteristic extraction and area extraction with high accuracy, and thus calculation amounts can be decreased.

11-15-2012

20100202678

X-RAY DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An X-ray tube generates X-rays. An X-ray detector detects X-rays generated by the X-ray tube and transmitted through a subject. A storage unit stores data of a gullet image associated with a gullet of the subject. An X-ray image generation unit generates data of an X-ray image based on an output from the X-ray detector during catheter operation. The X-ray image is associated with a left atrium located anatomically near the gullet. A display control unit displays a gullet region of the gullet image together with the X-ray image on the display device while superimposing the gullet region on the X-ray image to allow visual recognition of a distal end portion of a catheter region included in the X-ray image.

08-12-2010

20100142791

Image processing apparatus and image processing method - An X-ray imaging system is provided with an FPD and an image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus is provided with a CPU, a coefficient table, an interpolator and a residual image remover. The CPU acquires an image taken with the FPD. A plurality of coefficients each corresponding to a parameter that changes an attenuation curve are previously stored in the coefficient table. The attenuation curve represents time-varying attenuation of a residual image of the previous image. In a case where the coefficient corresponding to a parameter of the present exposure is not contained in the coefficient table, an appropriate coefficient is calculated by interpolation based on the coefficients contained in the coefficient table. The residual image remover calculates the residual image based on the stored coefficient or the calculated coefficient and a time lapse between the previous and subsequent exposures, and removes the residual image from the present image.

06-10-2010

20130011041

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN IMAGE OF A PHYSICAL OBJECT - The invention relates to a system and a method for producing an image of a physical object and to a computer program element and a computer readable medium. In order to provide improved stent boost subtract also showing wire state information, a system and a method are provided, the method comprising the following steps: a) tracking a predetermined first feature (

Method and Apparatus for Quantitative Analysis of Breast Density Morphology Based on MRI - A method and apparatus configured to analyze breast density based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a breast of a patient includes the steps of segmenting an MR image of the breast from one set of three-dimensional breast MRI images, and analyzing the amount of dense tissue and the morphological distribution of the dense tissue and a data processor configured by software to perform these steps. Analyzing the amount of dense tissue and the morphological distribution of the dense tissue includes the steps of segmenting tissue data to separate breast tissue from other body tissue, separating tissue data of the dense and fatty tissues in the breast, and analyzing the morphological distribution of dense tissue in the breast to derive one or more three dimensional morphological parameters of the dense tissue distribution.

06-23-2011

20140126800

METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ANALYSIS OF X-RAY IMAGES - The present invention relates to methods and devices for analyzing x-ray images. In particular, devices, methods and algorithms are provided that allow for the accurate and reliable evaluation of bone structure from x-ray images.

05-08-2014

20140126799

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - A subtraction image is generated by performing subtraction between a mask image serving as a radiation image obtained by capturing an object, at least of a specific region of which does not include contrast medium, and a live image serving as a radiation image obtained by capturing the object which includes the contrast medium. The emphasis degree serving as the degree of emphasis processing for the subtraction image is determined based on at least either the mask image or live image. The emphasis processing is performed for the subtraction image based on the emphasis degree.

05-08-2014

20150063671

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SUMMING SIGNALS FROM AN IMAGING DETECTOR - A system includes a detector and a processing module. The detector includes pixels configured to detect an event corresponding to energy from a radiopharmaceutical. The processing module is configured to receive a request for each pixel that detects energy during a reading cycle. The processing module is configured to determine an energy level for each requesting pixel. For each requesting pixel, the processing module is configured to count the event when the energy level corresponds to an energy of the radiopharmaceutical, and to determine a combined energy level of the pixel and at least one adjacent pixel when the energy level does not correspond. The processing module is configured to count the event when the combined energy level corresponds to the energy of the radiopharmaceutical, and to disregard the event when the combined energy level does not correspond to the energy of the radiopharmaceutical.

03-05-2015

20140185902

Estimating Risk Of Future Bone Fracture Utilizing Three-Dimensional Bone Density Model - A novel approach for analyzing a patient's body part of interest to assess bone strength and/or risk of future fracture includes obtaining a priori information regarding the body part of interest, performing X-ray absorptiometric scans of the patient's body part of interest and collecting X-ray absorptiometry data from the scans, constructing a three-dimensional model of the patient's body part of interest, by utilizing the a priori information along with the X-ray absorptiometric data, and performing measurements of various geometric parameters on the three-dimensional model for determining geometric and structural properties.

07-03-2014

20120082360

DEVICE SIZING SUPPORT DURING INTERVENTIONS - The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing device sizing support, the method comprising obtaining an X-ray image of a vessel, introducing a guide wire having a radiopaque wire tip into the vessel, obtaining an X-ray image of the wire tip, segmenting the wire tip when it passes through the vessel, and providing sizing information relating to the size of the vessel based on the size of the wire tip. The imaging system according to the invention includes means providing functionality for performing the method according to the invention.

04-05-2012

20100027867

Method for creating mass density images on the basis of attenuation images captured at different energy levels - The invention relates to a method for creating scatter-corrected mass density image in dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The mass density image is created using additional information provided by attenuation images at different energy levels in an inhomogeneous correction image area. A multi-dimensional mass density is found that is consistent for a plurality of the attenuation images by inverting a primary radiation function. A scatter fraction is determined on the basis of the multi-dimensional mass density.

02-04-2010

20150071520

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND X-RAY DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - An X-ray diagnosis apparatus includes: a reference value calculating unit that calculates a reference value used for normalizing a flow of a contrast material, on the basis of a chronological transition of a signal intensity of the contrast material in a predetermined region, for each of a plurality of groups of X-ray images chronologically taken while using the contrast material; an index image generating unit that normalizes, for each of the plurality of groups of X-ray images, the flow of the contrast material at each of pixels by using the reference value calculated by the reference value calculating unit and that generates an image in which a feature value of the normalized flow of the contrast material is reflected in each of the pixels; and a displayed image calculating unit that causes a predetermined display unit to display the image generated by the index image generating unit.

03-12-2015

20130121556

MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM, MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - A medical imaging system includes: an image generating unit which captures an image of a subject and generates a medical image which is a still image; a region extracting unit which extracts a subject region from the medical image and extracts a local region which includes no edge from the subject region; a motion judging unit which extracts high spatial frequency components from the local region extracted by the region extracting unit and judges whether there is any motion in the subject during image capture based on the extracted high spatial frequency components; and a controlling unit which causes an outputting unit to output a judgment result made by the motion judging unit.

05-16-2013

20100232671

OPTIMISED REGION OF INTEREST SELECTION - A statistical framework for identifying regions of discrimination between two groups of imaged objects involves determining a weight map defining the regions of discrimination by minimizing the sample size required to discriminate the two groups in a numerical optimization scheme.

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR LOCALIZATION OF A TISSUE VARIATION FOR A BIOPSY - In a device and associated method for localization of a tissue variation for a biopsy, a first tissue variation within a first image of a stereo exposure is marked after limitation of a biopsy-capable region within an overview image. The search region for this localized first tissue variation in the second image of the stereo exposure is predetermined by a search corridor in the second image.

04-15-2010

20100092061

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DECOMPOSED TEMPORAL FILTERING FOR X-RAY GUIDED INTERVENTION APPLICATION - A method for temporally filtering medical images during a fluoroscopy guided intervention procedure includes providing a mask image, a fluoroscopy intervention image acquired at a current time during a medical intervention procedure, forming a subtraction image by subtracting the mask image from the intervention image, calculating a motion image of a moving structure in the subtraction image, forming a residual image by subtracting the motion image from the subtraction image, temporally filtering the residual image with a filtered image from a previous time, and adding the motion image to the temporally filtered residual image.

04-15-2010

20090148022

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING DISTAL RADIUS METAPHYSIS - Provided is a method and an apparatus for extracting an edge of a distal radius metaphysis. The method includes: setting a region of interest including a distal radius in an X-ray image; setting a potential energy distribution of the region of interest by using a gradient of gray levels; setting a temporary edge adjacent to both sides of a distal radius metaphysis and a side of an epiphysis in the region of interest; and extracting a detailed edge of the distal radius metaphysis having minimum energy by adjusting the set temporary edge using a metropolis annealing technique.

RADIOGRAPHIC SYSTEM AND RADIOGRAPHIC METHOD - A radiographic system includes an imaging unit, a calculation processing unit. The imaging unit acquires a radiological image including a period pattern modulated by a photographic subject placed at a radiation irradiation field. The calculation processing unit generates a phase contrast image of the photographic subject based on the radiological image acquired by the imaging unit. The calculation processing unit is configured to performing an absorption image generation process, a spatial frequency process, and a phase contrast image generation process.

10-04-2012

20120250971

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED EVALUATION OF MULTIPLE PORTAL DOSE IMAGES IN RADIATION THERAPY - A method of evaluating a portal dose image includes obtaining a template from a database, the template prescribing one or more evaluation criteria, receiving a first portal dose image, and using a processor to evaluate the first portal dose image based at least in part on the one or more evaluation criteria from the template. In some embodiments, a second image is automatically evaluated after the first image is evaluated. A system for evaluating a portal dose image includes a processor that is communicatively coupled to a database, the database having a template that prescribes one or more evaluation criteria, wherein the processor is configured to obtain the template from the database, receive a first portal dose image, and evaluate the first portal dose image based at least in part on the one or more evaluation criteria from the template.

10-04-2012

20080212864

Method and Arrangement Relating to X-Ray Imaging - The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for detecting a Region of Interest in an image data set, especially digitalized X-ray image. The method comprises the steps of: extracting phase information from the image data, using said phase information for differentiating between different lines and edges, and skewing said lines towards a centre.

09-04-2008

20140301625

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - The disclosure can achieve provision of an image processing apparatus that ensures to remove a noise component from an image by determining presence or absence of noise with accuracy to obtain an image with excellent visibility. That is, the image processing apparatus performs identification of the noise component with the number of surrounding pixels each having a pixel value approximate to that of the target pixel. This achieves accurate identification of the target pixel, having an extremely different pixel value from the pixel values of the surrounding pixels, as the noise component. The disclosure achieves noise identification faithfully representing poor visibility. Such the identification of the noise component causes provision of an image processing apparatus that allows generation of a processed image with the noise components accurately removed therefrom.

10-09-2014

20140294278

IMAGING CONTROL APPARATUS, IMAGING APPARATUS, CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RADIATION IMAGING, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - There is provided with an imaging control apparatus. A reception unit receives an imaging order. A control unit permits adding identification information if the received imaging order includes no identification information and to inhibit correction of the identification information upon determining that the identification information is included in the imaging order. An obtaining unit obtains information to be added as the identification information if the identification information is not included in the imaging order. A transmission unit transmits an image captured in accordance with the imaging order and either the obtained identification information or the identification information included in the imaging order, in association with each other, to an external image archiving apparatus.

10-02-2014

20140294277

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus for processing a radiation image obtained from a radiation detector capable of releasing or accumulating electric charges for each row, comprising: a target value setting unit configured to set a target value of each pixel on a correction target row in the radiation image based on pixel values on a row adjacent to the correction target row; a pixel selection unit configured to select an effective pixel on the correction target row based on a pixel value and the target value of each pixel on the correction target row; and a correction unit configured to derive a correction coefficient using a pixel value and the target value of the effective pixel and correct the correction target row based on the correction coefficient.

10-02-2014

20140321728

METHODS FOR DETECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF IONIZING RADIATION EXPOSURE IN TISSUE - The invention is based on the discovery of hyperspectral imaging-based methods that enable effective, efficient and non-invasive detection and characterization of ionizing radiation exposure in tissue. Methods of the invention allow for complete visualization and quantification of oxygenation and perfusion changes in irradiated skin. The invention enables rapid identification of individuals exposed to ionizing radiation after a radiological attack or accident. Methods of the invention can offer quantitative metrics to identify people exposed to higher doses of ionizing radiation well before the appearance of any dermal injury and permit appropriate triage to healthcare facilities.

10-30-2014

20090136113

REDUCING FALSE POSITIVES IN COMPUTER-AIDED DETECTION - Methods, systems, and related computer program products for computer-aided detection (CAD) of anatomical abnormalities in digital (or digitized) x-ray mammograms are described. The inventive techniques are based on using a foundational CAD processing algorithm that is characterized by at least one of non-shift-invariance, non-rotational-invariance, and non-inversional-invariance. According to one preferred embodiment, a first x-ray mammogram image of a breast is received, and at least one altered version thereof is generated that differs therefrom by at least one of image shift, image rotation, and image inversion. The first x-ray mammogram image and each of the at least one altered versions thereof are individually processed using the foundational CAD algorithm to generate a respective plurality of individual CAD detection sets. The plurality of CAD detection sets are then compared to generate an overall CAD detection set.

05-28-2009

20090136111

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DIAGNOSING A MEDICAL CONDITION - A system and method of diagnosing a medical condition in a patient from accessing image data and non-image data of a patient, analyzing the combination of image data and non-image data to generate an output with image findings and a risk assessment for diagnosing certain medical conditions in the patient. The image data may be acquired from an image acquisition system. The non-image data may include clinical data of the patient and may be acquired from a user interface, an electronic medical record, and/or findings from an expert system from previous imaging sessions.

METHOD FOR RENDERING DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES FOR DISPLAY BASED ON INDEPENDENT CONTROL OF FUNDAMENTAL IMAGE QUALITY PARAMETERS - A system for enhancing a digital image. The system includes: means for providing a digital image; means for decomposing the provided digital image into a multi-frequency band representation of four frequency bands as follows: a lowest frequency band image which represents large-sized features in the digital image; a low-to-mid frequency band image which represents mid-sized features of the digital image; a mid-to-high frequency band image which represents the small-sized features in the digital image; and a highest frequency band which represents very fine detail in the digital image; means for manipulating said low-to-mid frequency band image to produce a contrast effect without affecting the overall dynamic range of said digital image; means for multiplying each of said high-frequency band images with a gain factor; means for summing together said unmodified low frequency band image and said modified high-frequency band images to produce a reconstructed digital image; and means for mapping said reconstructed digital image through a tone-scale look-up table to map said reconstructed digital image to optical densities.

11-13-2008

20150071521

Spiculated Malignant Mass Detection and Classification in a Radiographic Image - An image analysis embodiment comprises generating a bulge mask from a digital image, the bulge mask comprising potential convergence hubs for spiculated anomalies, detecting ridges in the digital image to generate a detected ridges map, projecting the detected ridges map onto a set of direction maps having different directional vectors to generate a set of ridge direction projection maps, determining wedge features for the potential convergence hubs from the set of ridge direction projection maps, selecting ridge convergence hubs from the potential convergence hubs having strongest wedge features, extracting classification features for each of the selected ridge convergence hubs, and classifying the selected ridge convergence hubs based on the extracted classification features.

03-12-2015

20140376798

RIB ENHANCEMENT IN RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES - A method for radiographic imaging obtains a radiographic image of a patient's chest and processes the obtained image to generate a default radiographic image and a bone-enhanced image. At least a portion of one or more ribs within the default radiographic image is detected and a rib mask generated according to the at least the detected portion of the one or more ribs. The rib mask is applied to the bone-enhanced image to define masked enhanced image content that includes the detected at least the portion of one or more ribs. A composite image that combines the masked enhanced image content with the default radiographic image is generated and displayed.

12-25-2014

20120099778

Selected Image Acquisition Technique to Optimize Patient Model Construction - A system and a method are disclosed that allow for generation of a model or reconstruction of a model of a subject based upon acquired image data. The image data can be acquired in a substantially mobile system that can be moved relative to a subject to allow for image acquisition from a plurality of orientations relative to the subject. The plurality of orientations can include a first and final orientation and a predetermined path along which an image data collector or detector can move to acquire an appropriate image data set to allow for the model of construction.

04-26-2012

20110216959

SHADING CORRECTION DEVICE, METHOD AND PROGRAM - A shading correction of radiographic image data, which represents a radiographic image of a subject obtained by detecting radiation emitted from a radiation source and transmitted through the subject with a radiation detector, is carried out. At this time, first shading correction data for correcting for shading attributed to the radiation source and second shading correction data for correcting for shading attributed to the radiation detector are rotated relatively to each other depending on a rotational positional relationship between the radiation source and the radiation detector, and final shading correction data is obtained from the rotated first and second shading correction data. Then, shading of the radiographic image data is corrected for using the final shading correction data.

09-08-2011

20080240537

RADIOGRAPHIC FILM READING DEVICE - A radiographic film reading device is used in clinic dental diagnosis and treatment. The radiographic film reading device includes a film holder, a main body, a substrate and a backlight module. The film holder supports a radiographic film thereon. The main body has a receptacle for accommodating the film holder therein. The substrate is disposed inside the main body and has an optical sensor. The backlight module is disposed inside the main body for emitting a light beam from bottom to top. The light beam penetrates through the radiographic film and is then imaged onto the optical sensor of the substrate, so that the image of the radiographic film is processed into a digital form.

10-02-2008

20090129656

VOTING IN MAMMOGRAPHY PROCESSING - Methods and systems are disclosed to aid in the detection of areas of interest in an image. Multiple image recognition processes analyze the image and identify areas of interest. The identified areas of interest are compared to determine confidence values for each identified area of interest using a voting process. The confidence values may be used in determining areas of increased interest which are highlighted on the image. In embodiments, identified areas of interest meeting a certain threshold requirement are selected as areas of increased interest. In other embodiments, new areas of increased interest are created by combining areas of interest. Embodiments of the disclosed methods and system may be used to aid in the detection of cancer in mammogram images.

05-21-2009

20090129659

Methods for improving image quality of image detectors, and systems therefor - The present invention relates to methods and systems for improving image quality of imaging devices such as image detectors, and preferably of flat panel detectors such as amorphous silicon flat panel detectors, for example used in radiotherapy. The invention also relates to the improving of life span of used or aged detectors.

05-21-2009

20090129655

METHOD AND SYSTEM OF PROVIDING A PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION TO AID THE DETECTION OF TUMORS IN MAMMOGRAM IMAGES - Methods and systems are disclosed to aid in the detection of cancer or lesion in a mammogram images. Two mammogram images are input into an application that aids in determining the probability of a cancer or lesion being present in one or both of the images. The images are divided into different nodes and labels are applied to the nodes. The first node is compared to different variants of corresponding nodes on the second image as well as neighboring nodes on the first image. Based upon the comparisons, a unary and binary potential is calculated for the label that is applied to the node. The process is repeated for every possible label and for every node. Once the unary and binary potentials have been calculated, the potentials are input into a Conditional Random Field model to determine the probability of cancer for each node of the images.

05-21-2009

20090129654

IMAGE ANALYSIS OF TUBE TIP POSITIONING - A method for processing a radiographic image of a patient obtains radiographic image data and detects the position of inserted tubing or other foreign object in the obtained image and determines the tubing tip or object location. A region of interest in the neighborhood of the tubing tip or object location is defined and at least one anatomy structure within the region of interest is detected. The probability for mal-positioning of the tip or object is calculated by determining the position of the tip or object relative to the at least one anatomy structure.

05-21-2009

20090129653

ENERGY BALANCING FOR WIRELESS DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SYSTEM - A method for transferring data from a digital radiography receiver panel obtains, at the receiver panel, a full-sized set of image data that comprises a diagnostic image for a patient and at least one reference image for dark signal compensation. A wireless transmission channel between the receiver panel and a separate host processor is monitored to obtain a transmission performance measure. The obtained transmission performance measure is compared against a predetermined threshold value. The response to the comparison is either (a) processing at least some portion of the full-sized set of image data at the receiver panel to form a reduced-size set of image data, then wirelessly transmitting the reduced-size set of image data to the host processor; or (b) wirelessly transmitting the full-sized set of image data from the receiver panel to the host processor.

05-21-2009

20130129179

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STITCHING A PLURALITY OF IMAGES - A method and apparatus for stitching a plurality of images. The method includes capturing a first image and a second image; variably setting a position and size of a template for image stitching with respect to the captured first image or the captured second image, and determining stitch positions of the first image and the second image, based on the template that is variably set. In addition, the method includes stitching the first image and the second image, based on the determined stitch positions.

X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An X-ray image processing apparatus includes a calculating unit adapted to calculate the noise amount of a sensor on the basis of a difference value of a plurality of dark images acquired at different timings by the sensor when no X-rays are irradiated, a changing unit adapted to change a predetermined parameter for processing an X-ray image acquired by the sensor when X-rays are irradiated, in order to prevent the noise amount from being superposed on the X-ray image, and an image processing unit adapted to perform image processing on the X-ray image on the basis of the changed parameter.

11-01-2012

20120275679

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHUTTER DETECTION - Methods, systems, and computer-readable medium for detecting and removing unwanted information in a medical image. One method includes receiving, at a processor, an image, obtained using a shutter including at least a first blade and a second blade. The method also includes processing the image to identify a first plurality of candidate edges in the image for the first blade and a second plurality of candidate edges in the image for the second blade. The method further includes individually evaluating each of the first and second plurality of candidate edges to select one of the first plurality of candidate edges as a true edge for the first blade and one of the second plurality of candidate edges as a true edge for the second blade. In addition, the method includes removing the unwanted information from the image based on a location of each of the identified true edges.

11-01-2012

20120275678

X-RAY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING IMAGE DATA - A method for processing X-ray image data includes exposing a digital detector to X-ray radiation. The method also includes sampling data via the digital detector including X-ray image data and offset image data. The method further includes calculating an average offset image without prior knowledge of a total number of offset image frames sampled.

11-01-2012

20100284601

C-ARM COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY SYSTEM - A system and method for generating CT-type three dimensional imaging information from a conventional C-arm fluoroscope system. This enables the adaptation of widely used C-arm installations to provide CT-type information. The system uses a three dimensional target disposing in a fixed position relative to the subject, and obtains a sequence of video images of a region of interest of a subject while the C-arm is moved manually or by a scanning motor. Images from the video sequence are analyzed to determine the pose of the C-arm relative to the subject by analysis of the image patterns of the target. Images are selected from the video sequence according to predetermined criteria. A set of two-dimensional image data with associated positional data is obtained, which is used to reconstruct a three dimensional volumetric set of imaging data of the region of interest of the subject.

11-11-2010

20090285467

METHOD FOR ASSESSING BONE STATUS - A method for assessing bone status is disclosed. The method for assessing bone status comprises steps of: obtaining a chest radiograph, recognizing a target bone on the chest radiograph by active shape models, detecting edges of a cortical bone of the target bone by intelligent scissors, and calculating a parameter of bone status through the cortical bone. The present invention increases the diagnosis value of the chest radiography and provides a simple, economic, rapid and reliable assessment of bone status.

11-19-2009

20120134567

System for Frame Selection for Optimal Registration of a Multi-frame Dataset - An Angiographic X-ray imaging system provides enhanced image feature visualization. At least one repository includes data representing a sequence of X-ray images of a portion of patient anatomy acquired over a time interval and signal data representing electrical activity of the heart of the patient over the time interval. An image data processor determines for individual images of the sequence of X-ray images, characteristics of a portion of the signal data associated with a corresponding image. The characteristics comprise at least one of, (a) a peak to peak value of a portion of the signal data associated with a corresponding image and (b) an average value of a portion of the signal data associated with the corresponding image. The image data processor selects a set of images exclusive of particular images from the sequence of X-ray images in response to the determined characteristics and generates an averaged image from the set of images.

IMAGE ANALYSIS APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGE ANALYSIS METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image analysis apparatus detects a periodic signal corresponding to an arrangement of a grid, which is required to reduce scattered radiation components from an object, from an image obtained by radiation imaging using the grid. The image analysis apparatus includes: a setting unit configured to set a plurality of regions on the image; an obtaining unit configured to obtain statistic information of pixel values corresponding to each of the plurality of regions of the image based on the image; a selection unit configured to select at least one measurement region from the plurality of regions based on the statistic information; and a detection unit configured to detect the periodic signal using image data of the selected measurement region.

08-07-2014

20140334709

3D-2D IMAGE REGISTRATION FOR MEDICAL IMAGING - A method of 3D-2D registration for medical imaging includes the following steps: providing a first input interface for acquiring a three-dimensional image; providing a second input interface for acquiring a fixed two-dimensional image using an imaging system that includes a source and a detector and that has an unknown source-detector geometry; initializing image transformation parameters and source-detector geometry parameters; generating a reconstructed two-dimensional image from the three-dimensional image using the image transformation parameters and the source-detector geometry parameters; determining an image similarity metric between the fixed two-dimensional image and the reconstructed two-dimensional image; and updating the image transformation parameters and the source-detector geometry parameters using the image similarity metric, and a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable medium and apparatus.

11-13-2014

20140334710

PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY SUITABLE FOR X-RAY PROJECTION IMAGING - A 2D or 3D velocity field is reconstructed from cross-correlation analysis of image pairs of a sample, without first reconstructing images of the sample spatial structure. The method can be implemented via computer tomographic X-ray particle image velocimetry, using multiple projection angles, with phase contrast images forming dynamic speckle patterns. Estimated cross-correlations may be generated via convolution of a measured autocorrelation function with a velocity probability density function, and the velocity coefficients iteratively optimised to minimise the error between the estimated cross-correlations and the measured cross-correlations. The method may be applied to measure blood flow, and the motion of tissue and organs such as heart and lungs.

11-13-2014

20100128959

METHOD FOR DETECTION OF CARIES - A method for forming an enhanced image of tooth tissue for caries detection obtains fluorescence and reflectance image data from a tooth. Each pixel in the fluorescence image data is combined with its corresponding pixel in the reflectance image data by subtracting an offset to the reflectance image data value to generate an offset reflectance image data value, and then computing an enhanced image data value according to the difference between the fluorescence image data value and the offset reflectance image data value, whereby the enhanced image is formed from the resulting pixel array of enhanced image data values.

05-27-2010

20100128958

METHOD FOR PRIOR IMAGE CONSTRAINED IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION IN CARDIAC CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY - An image reconstruction method for cardiac cone beam CT is provided, in which data acquired as truncated projections using current cardiac flat panel detectors is reconstructed to form a high quality image of a desired cardiac phase. An iterative method is utilized to reconstruct a prior image from all of the acquired truncated data without cardiac gating. Subsequently, a reconstruction method, in which the prior image is utilized in a prior image constrained reconstruction method, is utilized to reconstruct images for each individual cardiac phase. The objective function in such a prior image constrained reconstruction method is modified to incorporate the conditions used in the production of the prior image so that the data truncation problem is properly addressed.

05-27-2010

20100128957

BONE DISEASE EVALUATING SYSTEM - A bone disease evaluating system comprising a radiation source for emitting radiation toward an image subject including bones, a detector for detecting a radiation phase contrast image showing the phase contrast of radiation emitted from the radiation source and transmitted through the bones, a joint recognizing section for recognizing a joint of the bones from the phase contrast image, and a profile obtaining section for obtaining a shape profile showing the change of shape of the joint from the recognized joint and a frequency analyzing section for performing frequency analysis of the obtained shape profile and an index calculating section for calculating an index concerning a disease of the joint on the basis of the result of the frequency analysis.

05-27-2010

20100002927

IMAGING AUTO SHUTTER ROI - A method to identify a Region Of Interest (ROI) within an image includes the steps of: reading a digital image; finding predetermined brightness values; analyzing lines near a plurality of outer edges of the digital image; identifying an entire area of the digital image as the ROI if the found brightness values are also found in lines near the plurality of outer edges of the digital image; computing Radon transforms to generate one dimensional (1D) projections of the digital image if the found brightness values are not found in the lines; detecting a set of edges within the 1D projections; selecting edges from the set of edges; validating the selected edges to identify a set of validated edges; computing the ROI from the set of validated edges of the 1D projections; and saving the computed ROI to memory. A system to perform the method is also described.

01-07-2010

20110268339

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A LOCATION OF A LESION IN A BREAST - A system and method for determining an existence, uptake, size and location of a lesion within a breast is provided. The system includes a first detector and a second detector. The breast is positioned between the first detector and the second detector. The first detector acquires a first image data set of the lesion and the second detector acquires a second image data set of the lesion. The system also includes a existence, uptake, size and location determining program that uses the first image data set and the second image data set to calculate existence, uptake, size and location information for the lesion and determines a existence, uptake, size and location of the lesion within the breast based on the calculated existence, uptake, size and location information.

11-03-2011

20130011040

X-RAY IMAGING SYSTEM - Disclosed in an x-ray imaging device, which uses a Talbot-Lau interferometer, eliminates the effects on image quality of a reconstructed image that arises in such cases as when the direction of a multi-slit or each lattice slit is altered and imaging is performed, and provides reconstructed images favorable for diagnosis. When a plurality of moire images imaged with an imaging subject loaded onto a imaging subject stand (

01-10-2013

20130022259

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING DIAGNOSIS IMAGE, MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING IMAGE - An apparatus for generating a diagnosis image includes a local contrast characteristic calculator configured to calculate local contrast characteristics of radiation image data of a low-energy sub-band from radiation image data generated by radiation having at least two energy bands passing through a subject; a local contrast characteristic applier configured to apply the calculated local contrast characteristics to radiation image data of a full-energy band generated by the radiation having at least two energy bands passing through the subject; and a diagnosis image generator configured to generate a diagnosis image of the subject based on the radiation image data of the full-energy band to which the local contrast characteristics have been applied.

01-24-2013

20130022258

X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF UPDATING A PIXEL MAP - An X-ray imaging apparatus and a method of updating a pixel map correct a bad pixel of an X-ray transmission image. An X-ray transmission image is generated by detecting an X-ray penetrating an object, and it is determined whether a difference between a value of each one of the pixels forming the X-ray transmission image and a value of a nearby pixel adjacent to the each one of the pixels is equal to or greater than a reference value. A pixel having a value representing a difference equal to or greater than the reference value is determined as a candidate for a bad pixel. A message is displayed which requests a selection of whether to determine if the candidate is a bad pixel. The pixel map is updated by reflecting the determined bad pixel on the pixel map.

01-24-2013

20130022257

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF MEDICAL IMAGE SHEETS - Medical imaging systems including an operator workstation and control circuitry are provided. The operator workstation is adapted to enable an operator to operate a medical imaging device in accordance with operator preferences, and the control circuitry is adapted to display an operator interface on a display portion of the operator workstation to enable an autofilling option for the operator. When the operator selects the autofilling option, the control circuitry is adapted to automatically populate a sheet with a series of acquired medical images in a spatial arrangement determined based on predetermined preferences.

01-24-2013

20140079309

RIB SUPPRESSION IN RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES - A method for rib suppression in a chest x-ray image of a patient. The method detects and labels one or more ribs in a region of interest in the x-ray image that includes a lung region. The method obtains a rib model for one or more ribs of the image and modifies detection results for the one or more ribs by applying the rib model in the region of interest. A conditioned x-ray image is formed by suppressing rib content according to the modified detection results. The conditioned x-ray image is stored, displayed, or transmitted.

03-20-2014

20120020541

RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME - A radiographic apparatus which includes an X-ray irradiation unit which irradiates X-rays and an X-ray detection unit which detects an X-ray image of an object irradiated by the X-ray irradiation unit includes a first defect detection unit which detects, as a position-dependent defect, a pixel, of X-ray images, whose pixel value is always abnormal, and acquires position information of the defect in the X-ray image, a second defect detection unit which detects, as a defect, a pixel, of the X-ray images, which temporarily becomes abnormal dependent on the lapse of time, and a determination unit which determines a correction method for correcting the pixel value of the pixel in which the abnormality is detected by the second defect detection unit, based on the information indicating the imaging condition.

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MODEL-BASED DETECTION OF STRUCTURE IN VIEW DATA - In one aspect, a method and apparatus for determining a value for at least one parameter of a configuration of a model associated with structure of which view data has been obtained including detecting at least one feature in the view data, and determining the value for the at least one parameter of the configuration of the model based at least in part on the at least one feature. In another aspect, a method and apparatus for detecting at least one blood vessel from object view data obtained from a scan of the at least one blood vessel including generating a model of the at least one blood vessel, the model having a plurality of parameters describing a model configuration, determining a hypothesis for the model configuration based, at least in part, on at least one feature detected in the object view data, and updating the model configuration according to a comparison with the object view data to arrive at a final model configuration, so that the final model configuration represents the at least one blood vessel.

05-14-2009

20090123051

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE CAPTURING METHOD - The continuous image capturing of a subject is performed with small doses of radiation. A plurality of auxiliary images obtained by the continuous image capturing is stored. On the basis of the stored auxiliary images, the periodicity of motion of the subject is detected. A pseudo image is generated from the auxiliary images exhibiting the detected periodicity. The generated pseudo image is analyzed. On the basis of the analysis result, an image capturing parameter used for the main image capturing of a still image of the subject is calculated. Using the calculated image capturing parameter, the main image capturing of the still image of the subject is performed.

05-14-2009

20080247626

REGISTRATION METHOD FOR PROJECTIONS IN DUAL ENERGY - A method is disclosed for resolving misregistration errors resulting from dual energy double-shot projection radiographic image acquisition. The method involves an iterative multi-scale, multi-resolution registration process that corrects misregistration errors progressively at scales ranging from bulk anatomical drift down to smaller scale motion such as that of fine pulmonary vasculature. The method may be incorporated as part of a dual energy image processing chain to create dual energy images with improved image quality and diagnostic performance.

10-09-2008

20100034451

Systems and Methods for Improving Directed People Screening - The present invention is a system and method for screening subjects at security locations while preserving the privacy of subjects and retaining the efficiency and thus, throughput, of the screening process. More specifically, the present invention is an improved X-ray detection system and method that allows for maximum threat detection performance with improved verbal and visual communication between the screening and imaging system operator and an image analyst, either proximally or remotely located, thus allowing for an accurate, directed physical search and minimal “pat-down” of subjects under inspection.

02-11-2010

20090003678

AUTOMATIC GAIN AND EXPOSURE CONTROL USING REGION OF INTEREST DETECTION - A region of interest may be determined using any or all of sound source location, multi-person detection, and active speaker detection. An weighted mean may be determined using the region of interest and a set of backlight weight regions, or, only the set of backlight weight regions if a region of interest could not be found. The image mean is compared to a target value to determine if the image mean is greater than or less than the target value within a predetermined threshold. If the image mean is greater than the predetermined target value and predetermined threshold value, the gain and exposure are decreased. If the image mean is lesser than the predetermined target value minus the predetermined threshold value, the gain and exposure are decreased.

01-01-2009

20090257639

METHOD OF TRACKING EYEBALL IN EYEBALL TUMOR TREATMENT - Disclosed herein is a method of tracking the movement of an eyeball in eyeball tumor treatment. The method includes a calibration step of storing an actual length for each pixel of an image in a storage unit, a template image generation step of storing a patient's eyeball image as a template image of the patient's eyeball in the storage unit, an eyeball location tracking step of, during the treatment of the patient's eyeball, determining whether movement of the treatment image has occurred by comparing treatment images of the patient's eyeball in real time with the template image, and a control step of stopping the operation of the proton beam output device if the movement of the treatment image deviates from a preset tolerance range, and keeping operation of the proton beam output device normal if the movement of the treatment image is within the tolerance range.

10-15-2009

20100172567

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING THREE DIMENSIONAL INFRARED IMAGING TO PROVIDE DETAILED ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE MAPS - Calibrated infrared and range imaging sensors are used to produce a true-metric three-dimensional (3D) surface model of any body region within the fields of view of both sensors. Curvilinear surface features in both modalities are caused by internal and external anatomical elements. They are extracted to form 3D Feature Maps that are projected onto the skin surface. Skeletonized Feature Maps define subpixel intersections that serve as anatomical landmarks to aggregate multiple images for models of larger regions of the body, and to transform images into precise standard poses. Features are classified by origin, location, and characteristics to produce annotations that are recorded with the images and feature maps in reference image libraries. The system provides an enabling technology for searchable medical image libraries.

07-08-2010

20140079308

Method and System for Real Time Stent Enhancement on Live 2D Fluoroscopic Scene - A method and system for real time stent enhancement on a live 2D fluoroscopic scene is disclosed. A motion compensated stent enhancement image is generated from a first set of frames in a fluoroscopic image sequence. A weighting field is generated based on the motion compensated stent enhancement image. For each new frame in the fluoroscopic image sequence that is received, the stent is enhanced in the new frame by compounding the new frame with the motion compensated stent enhancement image using the weighting field.

03-20-2014

20150131886

Method and System for Registering Intravascular Images - A method for co-registration of angiography and intravascular images is described in which intravascular images are in the form of a sequence of images obtained from an intravascular imaging device which is pulled back through a vessel. The method includes generating a three-dimensional reconstruction of the trajectory of the intravascular device within the vessel from two or more bi-dimensional angiography images of such vessel which have been obtained from different perspectives. The method also includes determining a first position of an element of the device within the 3D reconstruction of the trajectory and correlating the position of such element with a correspondent point in the reconstructed trajectory during pull back. Further, the method includes correlating each intravascular image of the sequence with a corresponding spatial position within at least one of the bi-dimensional angiography images. A corresponding system and computer program are also described.

05-14-2015

20150131885

METHOD FOR REDUCING NOISE IN MEDICAL IMAGE - There is provided a method of reducing noise in a medical image while maintaining structure characteristics within the medical image. The method of reducing noise in the medical image includes: a step of estimating the amount of noise at each pixel by using a look-up table that previously stores physical properties of an image capturing device; a step of calculating a structure direction and a signal coherence at each pixel; a step of performing anisotropic smoothing by using an anisotropic smoothing filter kernel that reflects the structure direction and the signal coherence; and a step of obtaining a structure direction and a signal coherence from an image on which the anisotropic smoothing is performed, obtaining an anisotropic smoothing filter kernel that reflects the obtained structure direction and the signal coherence, and performing filtering that reflects statistical properties of the estimated amount of noise.

05-14-2015

20140133732

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMAGE PROCESSING OF MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES - A method of processing data associated with fluorescent emissions from a microfluidic device. The method includes performing an auto-focus process associated with a first image of the microfluidic device and performing an auto-exposure process associated with the first image of the microfluidic device. The method also includes capturing a plurality of images of the microfluidic device. The plurality of images are associated with a plurality of thermal cycles. The method further includes performing image analysis of the plurality of captured images to determine a series of optical intensities and performing data analysis of the series of optical intensities to provide a series of change in threshold values.

05-15-2014

20140133730

TIME SYNCHRONIZATION CALIBRATION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMAGE TAKING AND COORDINATE READING AND DELAY TIME CALCULATION METHOD THEREOF - A time synchronization calibration method and system for image taking and coordinate reading and a delay time calculation method thereof are disclosed. The time synchronization calibration method is as follows. Firstly, every time point, a calibrator coordinate, an operation target coordinate and an image thereof are obtained. The image similarity index of every image and the image of previous time point thereof is calculated. When the image similarity index is lower than a preset similarity index, a reading time of the image is output followed with calculating the difference of the reading time and a time delay to obtain a taking time of the image. Finally, calculating the coordinate transformation of the calibrator coordinate and the operation target coordinate, and corresponding it to the image to output an image-coordinate correspondence relation. The time delay can be obtained correctly with only one test, and provided for the consequent synchronization calibration.

05-15-2014

20150078647

Automatic Implant Detection From Image Artifacts - A computer-implemented method of implant detection includes receiving a three-dimensional (3D) image of an anatomy portion of a patient from computed tomography (CT) projections of the patient in an image processing computing system. A cluster of voxels forming an implant candidate is identified on a CT slice of the 3D image and the identified implant candidate is compared with artifacts of implants from an implant database stored in a memory of the computing system. A best-fit implant is selected from the implant database and a graphical image of the best-fit implant is overlaid on the CT slice on a display of the computing system.

03-19-2015

20150023579

DIAGNOSIS SUPPORT APPARATUS, METHOD FOR THE SAME, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - A diagnosis support apparatus obtains a plurality of images as interpretation targets, selects one item of a plurality of image finding items, sequentially assigns evaluations for the selected image finding item to the plurality of images in accordance with an operation input by a user, and displays an image for which an evaluation is assigned, in accordance with the operation input, in a display area, of a plurality of display areas corresponding to evaluations configured to be assigned for the selected image finding item, which corresponds to the evaluation assigned for the image.

01-22-2015

20140112567

IMPLANTED DEVICE X-RAY RECOGNITION AND ALERT SYSTEM (ID-XRAS) - This system comprises a method and software application that, when used in conjunction with digital radiographic imaging software, automatically locates and identifies surgically-implanted devices located inside of a patient and instantly notifies the healthcare provider viewing the digital radiographic image of clinically pertinent information regarding the device, such as, but not limited to the manufacturer, model, and manufacturer notifications, alerts, and/or recalls. In the case of pacemakers and defibrillators, this system also identifies defects in pacemaker and/or defibrillator leads.

04-24-2014

20100124368

Method and apparatus of reconstructing 3D image from 2D images - An apparatus and method of reconstructing a three-dimensional (3D) image from two-dimensional (2D) images are disclosed. Three dimensional (3D) data may be reconstructed in an x-ray generation tube at a limited angle, and repeatedly updated for each pixel. A median from among each pixel of reconstruction data may be selected. Backprojecting may be performed using a search direction weight calculated using a reprojection image and residual image. A 3D image satisfying a Level 1 (L1) norm fidelity and sparsity constraint of the reconstruction data may be reconstructed.

05-20-2010

20100124367

IMAGE REGISTRATION - Disclosed is a method for defining a common reference system in a record of volume data that represents an area of a patient's jaw and is captured by means of an X-ray imaging process and a record of surface data, at least some of which represents the same area of the patient's jaw and which is captured by means of a process for measuring visible surfaces. Volume data and surface data are unhidden on a screen. An object, especially a tooth, which is recognizable in both the volume data and the surface data, is superimposed on each other as congruently as possible in a preliminary positioning step. A volume structure characterizing the object is extracted from the volume data, particularly as a type of edge image, and is made to overlap as much as possible with a corresponding surface structure of the surface data by means of a transformation function, the overlap of the volume structure being adjusted to the surface structure in iterative steps by optimizing a predefined quality level.

05-20-2010

20150016705

FLUOROSCOPY APPARATUS AND FLUOROSCOPY APPARATUS OPERATING METHOD - The invention provides a fluoroscopy apparatus including an image-capturing device that acquires a fluorescence image of a subject; a sensitivity adjusting portion that sets a sensitivity of the image-capturing device to fluorescence on the basis of a gradation value of the fluorescence image; a notifying portion that extracts a lesion part from the fluorescence image acquired by the image-capturing device with the sensitivity set by the sensitivity adjusting portion and presents it to an operator; and a display switching portion that displays the fluorescence image on a display unit when the sensitivity in the image-capturing device is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold and that presents information showing the existence of the lesion part on the notifying portion when the sensitivity is greater than the predetermined threshold.

01-15-2015

20090297014

SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING RADIATION TREATMENT PLAN SEGMENTATIONS - Segmentations used to describe structures to be treated by radiotherapy are evaluated by converting the segmentations into volume models and examining volume elements that are extra or missing in the volume model of the second segmentation with respect to the volume model of the first segmentation. This characterization of volume elements may be displayed graphically to show differences in segmentations for training or evaluation purposes and may be quantified by a metric method tallying volume elements as optionally weighted by distance from volume elements shared by the segmentation.

12-03-2009

20090028412

System and Method for Automatic Detection of End of Diastole and End of Systole Image Frames in X-Ray Ventricular Angiography - End-diastolic and end-systolic image frames are automatically selected on a real-time basis from a sequence of X-ray ventricular angiogram images by modeling the angiogram images by a dynamic graphical model and estimating a posterior probability density of the ventricular area in each angiogram image frame using Bayesian probability density propagation and adaptive background modeling. Then, a variation curve plot of expectation values of the posterior probability density of the ventricular area of each angiogram image frame is generated in which peaks and valleys in the variation curve correspond to end-diastolic and end-systolic angiogram image frames, respectively.

01-29-2009

20140079310

RADIATION EXPOSURE DOSE OBTAINING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM - In a case where a radiation exposure dose of a subject is obtained in a radiation exposure dose obtaining apparatus based on a radiation image signal of each frame detected by a radiation image detector by continuously performing radiological imaging of the subject due to the continuous radiological imaging, an area corresponding to a region of the subject is set in an image represented by the radiation image signal and a radiation exposure dose is obtained for each set area.

03-20-2014

20100092063

THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - Data of a plurality of projected images, which is photographed from different directions, regarding an object of interest is stored in an image data storage section. A feature point coordinates acquisition section acquires the three-dimensional coordinates regarding the axis of the object of interest on the basis of the feature information and photographing directions regarding the axis of the object of interest on at least two of the plurality of projected images stored in the image data storage section. A coordinates transformation section sets the three-dimensional coordinates system, which has the axis of the object of interest as one axis, on the basis of the three-dimensional coordinates information. A reconstruction processing section reconstructs three-dimensional image data based on the set three-dimensional coordinates system from the plurality of projected images stored in the image data storage section.

04-15-2010

20110135185

IMAGE HANDLING AND DISPLAY IN X-RAY MAMMOGRAPHY AND TOMOSYNTHESIS - A method and system for acquiring, processing, storing, and displaying x-ray mammograms Mp tomosynthesis images Tr representative of breast slices, and x-ray tomosynthesis projection images Tp taken at different angles to a breast, where the Tr images are reconstructed from Tp images

06-09-2011

20110135184

X-RAY IMAGE COMBINING APPARATUS AND X-RAY IMAGE COMBINING METHOD - An X-ray image combining apparatus includes a evaluation value calculation unit configured to calculate an evaluation value of each pixel from a neighboring area containing at least two pixels corresponding to a same position, a weight coefficient determination unit configured to determine a weight coefficient of the corresponding two pixels based on the evaluation value, and a combination unit configured to multiply the two pixels by the determined weight coefficient and add the multiplied values.

06-09-2011

20110305382

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An image processing method with use of band images is provided including a band image generation step for generating the band images through extracting a portion of frequency components in a source image having a subject image falling thereon, a conversion step for converting each of the band images into an absolute value suppression image having a suppressed absolute value of pixel data in reference to input values prior to conversion as well as output values subsequent to the conversion, and an image processing step for performing image processing to the source image based on the absolute value suppression image.

12-15-2011

20110305381

RADIOLOGICAL IMAGE AREA EXTRACTING APPARATUS, RADIOLOGICAL IMAGE AREA EXTRACTION PROGRAM, AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - An image area extracting device includes a low-frequency image generating unit for generating a low-frequency image from a radiological image by a frequency filter process lower than a spatial frequency inside an object area, a luminance variation image generating unit for generating a luminance variation image by detecting luminance variations of the low-frequency image, and a boundary selecting unit for selecting boundary pixels located on a boundary of an area of interest based on pixel values of the luminance variation image and the low-frequency image. Influences of noise components or fine structural components inside a patient M are reduced by generating the low-frequency image, which facilitates recognition of a contour shape of the patient M. The boundary pixels are selected based on the low-frequency image and the luminance variation image generated from the low-frequency image. This assures highly accurate and stable area extraction.

12-15-2011

20110305380

Characterization of Source Trajectory for Radiotherapy - Some embodiments include obtaining a projection image of a plurality of fiducials associated with a coordinate system irradiated by a radiotherapy radiation source at a plurality of discrete locations on a trajectory path model, determination of a projection matrix from projection images of the fiducials irradiated by the radiotherapy radiation source at each of the discrete locations, determination of the actual coordinate of the radiotherapy radiation source in the coordinate system associated with the fiducials at the plurality of discrete locations based on the determined projection matrices, and correlating the trajectory path model of the radiotherapy radiation source to the determined actual position of the radiotherapy radiation source at the discrete locations.

12-15-2011

20100104167

X-RAY DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A marker-coordinate detecting unit detects coordinates of a stent marker on a new image when the new image is stored in an image-data storage unit; and then a correction-image creating unit creates a correction image from the new image through, for example, image transformation processing, so as to match up the detected coordinates with reference coordinates that are coordinates of the stent marker already detected by the marker-coordinate detecting unit in a first frame. An image post-processing unit then creates an image for display by performing post-processing on the correction image created by the correction-image creating unit, the post-processing including high-frequency noise reduction filtering-processing, low-frequency component removal filtering-processing, and logarithmic-image creating processing; and then a system control unit performs control of displaying a moving image of an enlarged image of a set region that is set in the image for display, together with an original image.

04-29-2010

20100104166

METHOD FOR PRODUCING A STEREOTACTIC IMAGE IN A MAMMOGRAPHY DEVICE - In a method for producing a stereotactic image of a patient fixed in a mammography device for a biopsy, a computerized control and evaluation unit waits for a start signal to be given by an operator, and after receipt of the start signal, automatically implements the following steps. An x-ray apparatus of the mammography device is positioned in a first predetermined imaging position, and a first image of the patient is acquired with the x-ray apparatus in this position. The x-ray apparatus is then pivoted into a second imaging position, different from the first, and a second image of the patient is acquired at the second position. The first and second images are acquired to form a stereotactic image of the patient.

04-29-2010

20100104165

RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, X-RAY RADIOSCOPY APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A radiation image processing apparatus which improves contrast and sharpness of radiation images is provided. According to this radiation image processing apparatus, comparison is made between a first image data obtained by radiation imaging without going through the subject but through a grid for removing scattered radiation from a subject, and a second image data which is obtained by radiation imaging through the subject and the grid, and a two-dimensional distribution of abundance of scattered component is calculated. Using this two-dimensional distribution of scattered component, abundance of scattered radiation is locally determined at each position, and a sharpening process is performed with sharpening intensities that are increased in response to abundance of scattered radiation.

04-29-2010

20130202180

Image Processing Method, Image Processing System, and X-Ray Computed Tomography System - Disclosed is image processing: that significantly reduces false images and missing images in reconstructed images, improves reconstruction accuracy; and that can be applied to objects to be observed that are composed of a plurality of components, and to samples having an unknown number of structural compositions. An image processing device is provided with: a means, in an electron microscope having an imaging device and a tilting device that tilts an object to be observed, for tilting said object to be observed in an angle step, and storing the obtained tiled image; a means for aligning the position of said tilted images; a means for generating an initial reconstructed image based on said tilted images; a means for projecting said initial reconstructed image at arbitrarily-defined angles and generating a plurality of projected images; a means for calculating errors in the corresponding pixels between the tilted images and the projection images; a means for determining a processing priority from said errors; a means for calculating the density for each gradation level; a means for determining the processing priority from said densities; and a means for changing the density value of each pixel in the initial reconstructed image in each of the above-mentioned priorities.

08-08-2013

20150023580

Microcalcification Detection and Classification in Radiographic Images - An analysis of a digitized image is provided. The digitized image is repeatedly convolved to form first convolved images, which first convolved images are convolved a second time to form second convolved images. Each first convolved image and the respective second convolved image representing a stage, and each stage represents a different scale or size of anomaly. As an example, the first convolution may utilize a Gaussian convolver, and the second convolution may utilize a Laplacian convolver, but other convolvers may be used. The second convolved image from a current stage and the first convolved image from a previous stage are used with a neighborhood median determined from the second convolved image from the current stage by a peak detector to detect peaks, or possible anomalies for that particular scale.

01-22-2015

20090220140

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND RADIATION IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING/PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS - Acquiring radiation image data representing a radiation image of a subject photographed using a radiation exposure field aperture, acquiring information of a radiation exposure field area determined by the exposure field aperture and relating it to the radiation image data based on the information, sequentially detecting pixel data of pixels from adjacent to the boundary line of the exposure field area toward the inner side thereof in the radiation image data, sequentially determining if the values of the detected pixel data are not greater than a predetermined threshold value, terminating the detection at a point where the value of the detected pixel data is greater than the predetermined threshold value, and performing a blackening process on pixel data of a pixel outside of the exposure field area and pixel data of a pixel whose value is determined to be not greater than the predetermined threshold value.

09-03-2009

20090232380

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMAGE PROCESSING AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus and method including executing high-pass filtering in a column direction on the pixel values of original image data read from a flat panel detector to obtain first image data, and subtracting a value obtained by converting each of the pixel values of the first image data in accordance with an absolute value of a statistic calculated from pixel values in the same pixel row of the first image data from the value of a corresponding pixel of the original image data to obtain processed image data.

09-17-2009

20140072200

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, NUCLEAR MEDICINE DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A method performed by a nuclear medicine diagnosis apparatus includes reconstructing a first image from first measurement data obtained by detecting a pair of radioactive rays emitted from a measurement target; reconstructing a second image from second measurement data obtained by detecting a single radioactive ray emitted from the measurement target; and generating a final image based on the first image and the second image.

03-13-2014

20130294674

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus includes: a subtraction unit that generates subtraction images constituted by a plurality of frames from X-ray images of an object acquired before and after injecting a radiopaque dye; an evaluation unit that calculates evaluation values indicating states of the injection of the radiopaque dye for the frames constituting the subtraction images; and a selection unit that selects at least one of the frames constituting the subtraction images using the evaluation values and outputs the selected frame as a reference image.

11-07-2013

20080317323

Evaluation method for a temporal sequence of x-ray images - A computer receives a temporal sequence of x-ray images of an examination region of an examination object. The examination region includes a blood vessel system and tissue supplied with blood. A detection time is assigned in each instance to the x-ray images. The x-ray images correspond locally with one another in terms of pixels and each display a distribution of a contrast agent in the examination region at the respective detection time. The computer determines the temporal course of the temporal derivation of the data values and/or of the average value of the data values of the pixels located in the evaluation region for at least one evaluation region which is standard for all x-ray images. It assigns a type to the evaluation region as a function hereof.

Correction of Artifacts Caused by the Heel Effect - According to the present invention, a 3D look-up table and a method for generating the same is provided, taking into account the x-ray spectrum variations in dependence of the cone beam angle caused by the heel effect. The 3D look-up table includes monochromatic attenuation values for all corresponding polychromatic attenuation values for each x-ray spectrum, depending on the cone beam angle. Advantageously, less image artifacts, such as, for example, cupping artifacts, are achieved in the reconstructed images.

12-25-2008

20150030229

Methods for Updating 2D/3D Registration on Movement and Computing Device - Methods for updating a 2D/3D registration between a three-dimensional image data set corresponding to a target area subjected to a movement and a plurality of two-dimensional projection images of the target area include: selecting a plurality of contour points along a contour, the contour being visible in a first projection image and a three-dimensional image data set registered therewith, the plurality of contour points being associated with a rigid object in the target area; determining a displacement of each contour point of the plurality of contour points between the first projection image and a successively captured second projection image; obtaining movement information for each contour point of the plurality of contour points based on the determined displacement, the movement information describing a movement of the rigid object; and updating the registration based on the obtained movement information.

01-29-2015

20110274332

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DENTITION SPECIFIC IMAGE ENHANCEMENT - Systems, methods, and computer readable media to automatically tailor image parameter settings used in a dental X-ray imaging system. At least one dentition characteristic and at least one non-dentition characteristic are selected and used to automatically determine at least one X-ray exposure setting for a patient to be imaged. The at least one dentition characteristic, the at least one non-dentition characteristic, and the at least one X-ray exposure setting are used to automatically generate a set of image parameter settings capable of being applied to acquired X-ray image data, being representative of the dentition of the patient.

11-10-2011

20120020540

Independent Digital Templating Software, and Methods and Systems Using Same - Provided are a computer-aided system (medical device), a computer-aided method, and a computer program product useful in digital templating for prosthetic arthroplasty, for example, total hip arthroplasty. The invention includes digital image capture and scaling features that can be used in conjunction with any digital radiographic image stored using picture archiving and communication system (PACS), regardless of PACS provider or PACS format. Patient radiographic images are captured, imported, and scaled, e.g., to actual size, to match the scale of a digital template of any prosthesis selected by the user. The computer program product is a stand-alone product, used independently of any software interface, including software accessed through connection to a network or the internet. The software, method, and system are suitable for use with a stand-alone computer and permit improved and cost-effective selection of prostheses for any particular clinical situation.

01-26-2012

20090103797

Method and system for nodule feature extraction using background contextual information in chest x-ray images - A method and system for nodule feature extract using background contextual information in chest x-ray images is disclosed. In order to detect false positives in nodule candidates for a chest x-ray image, background contextual information, such as contextual vessel tree information, is defined in the chest x-ray image. Features are extracted for each nodule candidate based on the background contextual information, and the extracted features are used to detect whether each nodule candidate is a false positive or a genuine nodule.

04-23-2009

20150030228

METHOD FOR THE REDUCTION OF ARTIFACTS IN IMAGE DATA SETS AND COMPUTING FACILITY - A method for the reduction of artifacts based on an unequal representation of the same material classes in various locations, in particular of cupping artifacts, in a three-dimensional image data set, reconstructed from two-dimensional x-ray projection images is provided. An image datum, describing an attenuation value, is allocated respectively to a voxel, wherein at least two material class regions are located in a post-processing step, which receive, in particular, image data, which is homogeneously distributed and lies in an expected material class interval of the attenuation values, and, considering at least one characteristic of the material class regions, calculates a smooth homogenization function, which is to be applied to the image data of the entire image data set and is applied to the image data of the image data set.

01-29-2015

20100086190

THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - Image data of a three-dimensional region of a medical device placed in a subject body is stored in an image data storage section. An image creating section extracts pixels corresponding to an image of a medical device on the basis of the distribution of pixel values along a plurality of radial rays, which spreads from the axis side of the medical device on a plurality of sectional images perpendicular to the axis of the medical device, using the image data stored in the image data storage section and creates image data, in which the medical device spreads, by distributing the extracted pixels in a flat surface region corresponding to the axis direction and the angular direction of the radial ray.

04-08-2010

20100086189

AUTOMATED QUANTIFICATION OF DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE QUALITY - A method for determining image quality of a digital radiographic image. The method is executed at least in part by a computer system. The method obtains image data for the digital radiographic image, identifies one or more regions of interest in the digital radiographic image, derives an image quality score that indicates the image quality of the digital radiographic image by computing at least a contrast-to-noise value for image data content within the one or more regions of interest, and reports the derived image quality score for the image.

04-08-2010

20090097732

Procedures for the presentation of medical images - The invention relates to a method for presentation of medical images by a reproduction facility of a diagnostic device with suppression of the noise with the following steps: one-off calibration of the signal-dependent noise; separation of the signal and noise components in the image; adaptation of the two components according to set parameters; and composition of the signals.

04-16-2009

20140016852

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR COMPARING RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES - The present disclosure provides a method of standardizing a digital radiographic medical image, including obtaining a digital radiographic image of a variable attenuation plate to provide at least one reference value of at least one image characteristic, such as optical density and contrast, and standardizing the digital radiographic medical image against the reference values. Also provided are methods for comparing two or more radiographic images including standardizing the images against at least one reference value of at least one image characteristic obtained from a digital radiographic image of a variable attenuation plate.

01-16-2014

20100290690

System And Method For Automatic Registration Between An Image And A Subject - A patient defines a patient space in which an instrument can be tracked and navigated. An image space is defined by image data that can be registered to the patient space. A tracking device can be connected to a member in a known manner that includes imageable portions that generate image points in the image data. The tracking device can be tracked to register patient space to image space.

11-18-2010

20100272343

PHOTOGRAPHIC INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD - A photographic information processing apparatus corrects photographic information based on temporarily determined photographic information relating to a photographing operation. The photographic information processing apparatus includes a photographic information correction determination unit determines whether correction of the photographic information is required based on an operation by an operator, an image data acquisition unit detects an X-ray having penetrated a body of a patient and acquires image data based on the detected X-ray, a photographic information correction unit corrects the temporarily determined photographic information based on patient information of the patient in a case where the correction of the photographic information is determined to be required, and an image data output unit outputs the image data after the correction of the temporarily determined photographic information is completed. The acquired image data is prevented from being output unless the temporarily determined photographic information is corrected.

10-28-2010

20120219203

RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - According to a radiographic apparatus of this invention, an image correcting unit corrects offset for every pixel relative to a detection value outputted from a radiation detector having pixels for detecting radiation arranged in a two-dimensional array. In addition, the image correcting unit corrects the offset while holding noise components contained in the detection value. Thus, upon quantitative evaluation of the noises contained in the detection values outputted from the radiation detector, the noises of not only positive values but also negative values can be considered. Consequently, accurate evaluation may be achieved.

08-30-2012

20100080438

Radiation image diagnosing system - A radiation image diagnosing system includes a tomosynthesis image capturing assembly for acquiring the data of a plurality of tomosynthetic sectional images. The acquired data of the tomosynthetic sectional images are processed to reconstruct a shift-and-add image by a shift-and-add processor. The acquired data of the tomosynthetic sectional images are also processed to reconstruct an FBP image by an FBP processor. The shift-and-add image and the FBP image are displayed parallel to each other on a display unit.

04-01-2010

20100080436

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING DEVICE AND RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING SYSTEM - A radiographic imaging device for capturing an excellent X-ray image in which the contrast of edge portions such as a cartilage tissue of a human body is enhanced by using a Talbot interferometer, and a radiographic imaging system for processing the captured image. The radiographic imaging device comprises an X-ray tube for applying X-rays having an average energy of 15 to 60 keV, a first diffraction grating for diffracting X-rays transmitted through a subject (H) to produce the Talbot effect, a second diffraction grating for diffracting X-rays diffracted by the first diffraction grating, and an X-ray detector for detecting X-rays diffracted by the second diffraction grating. The second diffraction grating is disposed in contact with the X-ray detector. The distance L between the X-ray tube and the first diffraction grating is 0.5 m or more. The distance Z

04-01-2010

20100303330

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS, AND ITS METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A position of a pathological examination on a radiographic image, such as a CT image and an MRI image, is stored beforehand in association with the radiographic image. When the radiographic image is displayed on a monitor device, a marker indicating the position of the pathological examination, which is stored in association with the human body image, is displayed at a corresponding position on the radiographic image displayed on the monitor device. Further, information (a pathology image and a pathology report) on the pathological examination of a tissue collected from the position of the pathological examination is displayed simultaneously with the radiographic image. Therefore, the position of the pathological examination can be accurately grasped on the radiographic image, and the correspondence relationship between the image at the position (biopsy site) of the pathological examination on the radiographic image, and the information on the pathological examination can be clearly grasped.

12-02-2010

20150139522

STATISTICAL PROPERTY PRESERVED BAD LINE CORRECTION - The present disclosure presents systems and methods for correcting image artifacts on an x-ray image. X-ray images are obtained and processed with a correction algorithm that generates corrected pixel lines having pixels with corrected pixel values. The corrected pixel lines can then be processed with a filtering algorithm that generates filtered pixel line having pixels with a filtered pixel value. The bad pixel lines are replaced by the filtered pixel lines to generate corrected x-ray images.

05-21-2015

20150139523

METHOD FOR DISPLAYING MAMMOGRAPHY IMAGES - In a method for displaying mammography images, an identification of the mammography images is first inputted via a user interface of a computer system. A host is employed to receive the identification for activating the mammography images and reading a header of the mammography images. The host reads a plurality of displaying rules previously configured for comparing with the header of the mammography images. The host then automatically selects one of the plurality of displaying rules that is best conformed to the header of the mammography images. The host automatically classifies the mammography images according to the selected one displaying rule. Finally, a monitor displays the classified mammography images.

05-21-2015

20150139525

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MODEL-BASED DETECTION OF STRUCTURE IN VIEW DATA - In one aspect, a method for determining a value for at least one parameter of a configuration of a model, the model associated with structure of which view data has been obtained from at least one x-ray scanning device capable of producing x-ray radiation, the view data being obtained, at least in part, by scanning at least a portion of the structure, wherein the view data is attenuation data of the x-ray radiation attenuated by the structure as a function of view angle about the structure is provided. The method comprises acts of operating on the view data to detect at least one feature in the view data, and determining the value for the at least one parameter of the configuration of the model based, at least in part, on the at least one feature.

MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - A medical image processing device according to an embodiment includes a first reconstruction unit, a second reconstruction unit, and an image combining unit. The first reconstruction unit generates a first reconstructed image on the basis of an X-ray collection image using a first reconstruction filter. The second reconstruction unit generates a second reconstructed image on the basis of the X-ray collection image, using a second reconstruction filter having a high-frequency emphasis effect more than that of the first reconstruction filter. The image combining unit combines the first reconstructed image with the second reconstructed image.

Method for recording and reconstructing a three-dimensional image dataset and x-ray apparatus - A method for recording and reconstructing a three-dimensional image dataset is proposed. A plurality of projection images are acquired under different recording geometries in relation to an object to be recorded by an X-ray apparatus, in particular a C-arm X-ray apparatus. At least two projection images are recorded for at least one recording geometry, in particular for every recording geometry. The three-dimensional image dataset is reconstructed from the project images.

11-10-2011

20110274334

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE-BASED RESPIRATORY MOTION COMPENSATION FOR FLUOROSCOPIC CORONARY ROADMAPPING - A method for compensating respiratory motion in coronary fluoroscopic images includes finding a set of transformation parameters of a parametric motion model that maximize an objective function that is a weighted normalized cross correlation function of a reference image acquired at a first time that is warped by the parametric motion model and a first incoming image acquired at a second time subsequent to the first time. The weights are calculated as a ratio of a covariance of the gradients of the reference image and the gradients of the first incoming image with respect to a root of a product of a variance of the gradients of the reference image and the variance of the gradients of the first incoming image. The parametric motion model transforms the reference image to match the first incoming image.

11-10-2011

20110274333

MEASUREMENT OF BLOOD FLOW DYNAMICS WITH X-RAY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY: DYNAMIC CT ANGIOGRAPHY - In various embodiments, systems and methods can provide accurate measurements of blood flow dynamics in a subject. Projection data acquired during a computed tomography (CT) scan of the subject can be used to determine information representing inflow of a contrast material. Accordingly, a measurement of flow velocity, in addition to other aspects of flow, may be obtained from the projection data.

11-10-2011

20130195343

MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes an X-ray image obtaining unit, a marker detection unit, a contrast image generation unit and a display image generation unit. The X-ray image obtaining unit obtains X-ray contrast image data and X-ray fluoroscopic image data. The marker detection unit detects positions of a marker from the X-ray contrast image data, or the X-ray contrast image data and the X-ray fluoroscopic image data. The marker is attached to a device. The contrast image generation unit generates X-ray contrast image data for a combination with a movement correction making the positions of the marker be positions which can be regarded as a same position. The display image generation unit generates X-ray image data for a display by combining the X-ray contrast image data for the combination with the X-ray fluoroscopic image data.

METHODS FOR IMAGE PROCESSING - An image processing method includes: obtaining an image that includes a ball image and a cone image; obtaining an estimate of a center of the ball image; converting the image to a converted image using a processor based at least in part on the estimate of the center of the ball image, wherein the converted image comprises a converted ball image that looks different from the ball image in the image, and a converted cone image that looks different from the cone image in the image; identifying the converted ball image in the converted image; and analyzing the converted ball image to determine a score that represents an accuracy of the estimate of the center of the ball image.

04-02-2015

20150093012

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF APPLYING AN ARBITRARY ANGLE TO REFORMAT MEDICAL IMAGES - In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for generating a seed plan for use in radiation therapy. The system includes an image database, the image database comprising image slices and a seed template database comprising seed templates. A contour engine is configured to generate target contour data to identify one or more objects within each image slice. A reslicer engine is configured to rotate the contoured image about an angle of rotation to produce a resliced contoured image, such that the resliced contoured image is resampled at an angle perpendicular to the angle of rotation and intersecting an isocenter. The system also includes a seed grid engine configured to generate a seed grid perpendicular to the angle of rotation.

04-02-2015

20150093013

RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A composition information obtaining unit calculates a mammary gland/fat ratio and a first information obtaining unit obtains imaged contrast information representing a contrast of the radiation image. A second information obtaining unit sets target application condition of X-ray, and obtains target contrast information representing an intended contrast for the radiation image based on the intended application condition. A contrast correction amount determination unit determines a contrast correction amount based on the imaged contrast information and the target contrast information. An image processing unit performs image processing, including gradation processing based on the determined contrast correction amount, on the radiation image, and obtains a processed radiation image.

04-02-2015

20110103674

MARKER DETECTION IN X-RAY IMAGES - A method for detecting markers within X-ray images includes applying directional filters to a sequence of X-ray image frames. Marker candidate pixels are determined based on the output of the directional filters. Candidate pixels are grouped into clusters and distances between each possible pair of clusters is determined and the most frequently occurring distance is considered an estimated distance between markers. A first marker is detected at the cluster that most closely resembles a marker based on certain criteria and a second marker is then detected at a cluster that is the estimated distance from the first marker. The pair of first and second marker detections is scored to determine detection quality. If the detected marker pair has an acceptable score then the detected marker pair is used.

05-05-2011

20110103673

SYSTEMS, COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIA, METHODS, AND MEDICAL IMAGING APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATED DETECTION OF SUSPICIOUS REGIONS OF INTEREST IN NOISE NORMALIZED X-RAY MEDICAL IMAGERY - Systems, computer-readable media, methods, and a medical imaging apparatus for improving the automated detection of suspicious regions of interest in x-ray images of anatomical organs under study are disclosed. Noise effects in x-ray images are suppressed to predetermined levels by filtering the original x-ray images and then combining the original images with the filtered images in such a way that the predetermined noise value is met. The resulting modified x-ray images then may be analyzed to automatically detect suspected breast microcalcifications or other suspicious regions of interest. In addition, three-dimensional digital images of anatomical organs may be computed from a plurality of such modified x-ray images of an anatomical organ taken from different angles, as in CT imaging, and the three-dimensional digital images may be processed to automatically detect suspicious regions of interest.

05-05-2011

20150139524

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING PANORAMA IMAGE DATA - A method and an apparatus for providing panoramic image data by reconstructing frame images captured by a panoramic imaging apparatus, are disclosed. In reconstruction of images with multiple image layers, sizes of images reconstructed with an image layer or images to be used for a reconstruction are scaled. An image is selected by analyzing sharpness. A panoramic image is provided by combining selected image. According to the present invention, parts having unclear focal planes may be completely removed in a panoramic image and it is possible to provide an image including only with focused regions.

05-21-2015

20110123088

EXTRACTING PATIENT MOTION VECTORS FROM MARKER POSITIONS IN X-RAY IMAGES - A method and a system for determining patient motion in an image. The method includes obtaining an image based on image data generated by a scanner during a scan. The image includes at least three markers assumed to be in a rigid or semi-rigid configuration. Each of the at least three markers has actual measured positions on a detector panel of the scanner in a first dimension and a second dimension. The method further includes determining a reference three-dimensional position for each of the at least three markers and defining equations describing the relationship between the reference three-dimensional position and the actual measured positions of each of the at least three markers, geometric parameters of the scanner, and patient motion. The method finally includes solving numerically the equations to derive a six-component motion vector describing patient motion for the image that accounts for differences between the reference three-dimensional position of each of the at least three markers and the actual measured positions for each of the at least three markers.

05-26-2011

20110123085

METHOD FOR ACCURATE SUB-PIXEL LOCALIZATION OF MARKERS ON X-RAY IMAGES - A method and system of determining a sub-pixel point position of a marker point in an image. Embodiments of the invention allow a marker point sub-pixel localization module executable by an electronic processing unit to obtain an image, including a marker point, and to derive both a background corrected marker point profile and a background and baseline corrected marker point profile. Additionally, embodiments of the invention allow defining of a sub-pixel position of the marker point as a center of a peak of the background corrected marker point profile. Thus, embodiments of the invention allow for rapidly detecting and localizing external markers placed on a patient in projection images.

05-26-2011

20100074504

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING FUSION X-RAY IMAGES - A method for acquiring fusion images of a periodically moving body organ and an apparatus adapted to implement such method is described. In a preferred embodiment of the method, X-rays are irradiated to the body organ and a multiplicity of mask images is acquired by X-ray detection at a high image acquisition rate of at least 60 frames per second. Then, contrast medium is injected into vessels of the body organ and subsequently at least one contrast image of the body organ with the contrast medium included in the vessels is acquired by X-ray detection. A matching image from the multiplicity of mask images is determined which has been acquired at substantially the same stage of the movement of the body organ as the contrast image. By calculating the difference between the matching mask image and the at least one contrast image a subtraction image of the body organ can be obtained and displayed. Using different image acquisition rates during mask image acquisition and contrast image acquisition high quality subtraction images can be achieved while at the same time reducing the overall X-ray exposure dose.

Methods and Devices for Analysis of X-Ray Images - The present invention relates to methods and devices for evaluating bone conditions based on images. In particular, devices, methods and algorithms are provided that allow for the accurate and reliable evaluation of bone structure from x-ray images.

CHEST RADIOGRAPHY IMAGE CONTRAST AND EXPOSURE DOSE OPTIMIZATION - A method for obtaining a digital chest x-ray image of a patient. The method includes providing a default set of technique settings for the chest x-ray, wherein the default set is selectable by an operator command and includes using a peak kilovoltage exposure setting that is below 90 kVp with beam filtration of the x-ray, and applying a rib contrast suppression algorithm to the digital chest x-ray image data acquired from the exposure.

10-03-2013

20110182493

METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR IMAGE ANNOTATION - A method and a system are disclosed for image annotation of images, in particular two- and three-dimensional medical images. In at least one embodiment, the image annotation system includes an image parser which parses images retrieved from an image database or provided by an image acquisition apparatus and segments each image into image regions. The image can be provided by any kind of image acquisition apparatus such as a digital camera an x-ray apparatus, a computer tomograph or a magnetic resonance scanning apparatus. Each segmented image regions is annotated automatically with annotation data and stored in an annotation database. In at least one embodiment, the system includes at least one user terminal which loads at least one selected image from said image database and retrieved the corresponding annotation data of all segmented image regions of said image from said annotation database for further annotation of the image. The image annotation system, in at least one embodiment, allows for a more efficient and more reliable annotation of images which can be further processed to generate automatically reports for examples of patients in a hospital. The image annotation method and system according to at least one embodiment of the invention, can be used in a wide range of applications in particular of annotation of medical images but also in security systems as well as in the developments of prototypes of complex apparatuses such as automobiles.

07-28-2011

20100104164

Method and device for obtaining a volume data set of a mobile tissue or organ of a patient - A method and a device for obtaining a volume data set of a mobile tissue or organ of a patient by a C-arm X-ray device are provided. An electromagnetic sensor of a position detection system is arranged indirectly on the tissue or organ. The X-ray device obtains a plurality of X-ray projections from the tissue or organ from various projection directions. A first method consists of reconstructing a volume data set from the X-ray projections, in which the electromagnetic sensor adopts a position characterizing a displacement phase of the tissue or organ. A second method consists of reconstructing a volume data set from the X-ray projections captured when the electromagnetic sensor was located in a position characterizing a displacement phase of the tissue or organ. A third method does not capture an X-ray projection for the reconstruction if the electromagnetic sensor is located in a position characterizing a displacement phase.

04-29-2010

20100104163

ORIENTATION DETECTION FOR CHEST RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES - A method for identifying the orientation of a radiographic image of a patient generates a reduced-scale image having a smaller number of pixel elements than the original radiographic image and generates a reduced bit-depth image from the reduced-scale image. The method determines whether the image has portrait or landscape orientation by sectioning either the reduced-scale image or the reduced bit-depth image into at least two sections and calculating at least one value related to relative symmetry for each of the at least two sections.

04-29-2010

20100098314

TUBE DETECTION IN DIAGNOSTIC IMAGES - A method for detecting tubing in a radiographic image of a patient, executed at least in part by a control logic processor, obtains radiographic image data for a patient and identifies a region of interest in the radiographic image. A gradient magnitude image of the region of interest is formed and analyzed to identify one or more linear features by defining a band lying substantially within the region of interest and having a center point and repeating a sequence with two or more iterations of assigning a rotation angle for the rotatable band about the center point and computing the ensemble average of gradient magnitude values along each of a plurality of lines extending within the rotatable band at the defined rotation angle, then computing relative magnitudes for the lines. The one or more identified linear features are evaluated according to the results of the ensemble average computing.

04-22-2010

20130230229

METHOD FOR BRIGHTNESS LEVEL CALCULATION OF THE DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGE FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS - The invention relates to methods for evaluation a brightness level of the digital x-ray image for medical applications by means of the image histogram using a neural network. The calculations comprise of: image acquisition, image histogram calculation, transformation the frequencies of the histogram into input arguments of the neural network and calculation the brightness level as linear transform of the output value of the neural network. Training of the neural network is performed over a learning set calculated over the given image database. The transformed frequencies of histograms of these images are used as a set of input arguments of the neural network. The brightness levels calculated for each image over the region of interest and scaled to the range of output values of the neuron network are used as a set of target values.

09-05-2013

20140086471

System and Method for Generating A 2D Image from a Tomosynthesis Data Set - A 2D mammogram image is synthesized from at least one of tomosynthesis projection images and/or the tomosynthesis reconstructed image data. In a simplest form, the mammogram may be synthesized by selecting one of the tomosynthesis projection images for display as a synthesized mammogram. Other methods of synthesizing a mammogram include re-projecting and filtering projection data and/or reconstructed data. The synthesized mammogram is advantageously displayed together with at least a portion of the reconstructed data to aid in review of the reconstructed data. The present invention thus provides a familiar image which may be used to facilitate review of a tomosynthesis data set.

03-27-2014

20140023258

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD ANDIMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - A peak position and a peak width of a frequency spectrum corresponding to a periodic pattern are detected by performing, with respect to at least one direction, frequency analysis on an image signal representing an image including the periodic pattern. The passband characteristics of a one-dimensional filter suppressing a spatial frequency component corresponding to the periodic pattern in the image signal are determined based on the detected peak position and the detected peak width.

01-23-2014

20130039562

IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE AND FLUOROSCOPY DEVICE - Employed is an image processing device including a fluorescence-image generating unit that images fluorescence generated at a subject irradiated with excitation light and generates a fluorescence image; a white-light-image generating unit that images white light returned from the subject irradiated with illumination light and generates a white-light image; a memory that converts the white-light image to a plurality of color signals constituting a color space; an image computing unit that corrects the plurality of color signals converted by the memory using at least one color signal among the plurality of the color signals and the fluorescence image; an image computing unit that generates a corrected image from the plurality of color signals corrected by the image computing unit; and an image combining unit that combines the fluorescence image generated by the fluorescence-image generating unit and the corrected image generated by the image computing unit.

02-14-2013

20130039561

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - In the present invention, an image capturing condition measurement unit measures image capturing conditions used when an object image is captured based on radiation that has passed through an object and calculates an added value based on the image capturing conditions. An X-ray signal reading unit generates image data containing the object image based on the radiation that has passed through the object. An offset correction unit performs an offset correction of the image data with using correction image data containing a dark current component and then performs an offset correction of the image data with using the added value.

02-14-2013

20140086472

X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM - An X-ray diagnostic apparatus includes a peak frequency detector detecting a peak frequency of a first harmonic in a moiré pattern of a grid in an image; a harmonic remover removing the first harmonic and a second harmonic in the moiré pattern from the image in accordance with the peak frequency of the first harmonic to obtain a first and second harmonic removed image; a harmonic extracting-filter generating unit calculating a peak frequency of a third harmonic in the moiré pattern in accordance with the peak frequency of the first harmonic to generate a harmonic extracting filter to extract the third harmonic; a harmonic extracting unit extracting the third harmonic from the first and second harmonic removed image based on the harmonic extracting filter; and a harmonic subtracting unit subtracting the extracted third harmonic from the first and second harmonic removed image to obtain a third harmonic removed image.

03-27-2014

20120087565

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING REPRESENTATIONS OF MICRO-CALCIFICATIONS IN A DIGITAL MAMMOGRAM IMAGE - Method and apparatus for enhancing representations of micro-calcifications in a digital mammogram image. The method includes smoothing the digital mammogram image using a fuzzy smoothing technique to yield a fuzzy smoothed image. The method includes subtracting the fuzzy smoothed image from the digital mammogram image to yield a micro-calcifications enhanced image. The method includes scaling gray level values of pixels in the micro-calcifications enhanced image by a predetermined amount to provide a digital mammogram image with enhanced representations of the micro-calcifications. Apparatus for enhancing representations of micro-calcifications includes an image processing unit that uses an image acquisition unit to receive an image and a digital signal processor to process the image to provide a digital mammogram image with enhanced representations of micro-calcifications.

04-12-2012

20130177230

IMPLANT POSE DETERMINATION IN MEDICAL IMAGING - The pose of an implant represented in a medical image is determined from the medical image. The x-ray image of the implant is compared to a database of the implant viewed at different poses (e.g., viewed from different directions). The implant pose associated with the best match indicates the pose of the implant in the x-ray image.

RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, APPARATUS AND PROGRAM - A radiation image processing method capable of improving the quality of a radiation image representing a subject without increasing the radiation dose to the subject. Providing, with respect to each of a plurality of subjects of the same type, an input image generated using high and low energy images obtained by radiography and a teacher radiation image having less image quality degradation than the input radiation image and representing the subject with a particular region highlighted; and obtaining a teacher trained filter through training using the input radiation image as input and the teacher radiation image as the teacher. Then, generating a radiation image of the same type as the input radiation image for a given subject, and inputting the radiation image to the teacher trained filter to form a radiation image of the given subject compensated for image quality degradation with the particular region highlighted.

03-18-2010

20120093386

System for Verifying Data Integrity in an X-Ray Imaging System - An error detection system is used by an image processing subsystem for detecting error in processing medical image data by multiple sequential subsystems using an image data processor. The image data processor in the image processing subsystem analyzes data representing a medical image to identify a sequence identifier associated with a subsystem preceding the image processing subsystem of the multiple sequential subsystems and identifies a position of the image relative to other images in an image sequence comprising multiple consecutive images. The image data processor uses the identified sequence identifier to detect an error in response to identifying at least one of, an unreadable sequence identifier and a missing sequence identifier. The image data processor incorporates a sequence identifier, in image data representing an area of the image associated with the image processing subsystem and initiates generation of an alert message in response to a detected error.

04-19-2012

20130094744

IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - The provision of a feature extracting portion for obtaining sequentially images captured by an x-ray imaging device and for extracting features relating to the densities of the images; an image classifying portion for dividing the images into groups based on the features extracted by the feature extracting portion; a memory portion for storing the images, which have been divided into groups by the image classifying portion, together with imaging time stamps for each group; an image data processing portion for processing, for each group, images stored in the memory portion; and a monitor for outputting images processed by the image data processing portion.

04-18-2013

20130094747

NOISE SUPPRESSION IN CONE BEAM CT PROJECTION DATA - A method for suppressing noise in a diagnostic 3-D image, executed at least in part on a logic processor, captures, at each of a number of projection angles, 2-D image projection data, wherein each 2-D image projection has a central pixel and arranges the 2-D image projection data to form a 3-D data set. Each of the 2-D image projections is processed by performing a diffusion filtering process that obtains a homogeneity value for the 3-D data set, generates a diffusion conductance function according to an intensity gradient between adjacent digital image elements, and applies the diffusion filtering process to digital image elements according to the obtained homogeneity value, the generated diffusion conductance function, and a weighting value that relates to the distance of each pixel in the projection from the central pixel. The diagnostic 3-D image is reconstructed from the processed 2-D image projections.

04-18-2013

20130236078

X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS - A medical image interpretation system according to an embodiment of the present invention including: uninterpreted inspection data; known abnormal data in each of which a disease has been diagnosed; an interpretation data generation section that mixes, at a predetermined mixing ratio, the known abnormal data with the uninterpreted inspection data to create interpretation data in which the known abnormal data are inserted in a random position of the uninterpreted inspection data; a true/false determination section that determines true/false of interpretation judgment made for the known abnormal data included in the interpretation data; a totalizing section that totalizer results of interpretation with respect to the known abnormal data; and a message generation section that generates, in accordance with the interpretation result, an alert message to a radiologist.

09-12-2013

20110058726

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING BONE DENSITOMETER MEASUREMENTS - A system and method for performing skeletal age assessment is provided. The method includes scanning a hand and/or wrist of a patient using a dual-energy x-ray imaging system, acquiring density information of the hand and wrist using the scan, comparing the density information to at least one reference image, and automatically determining a skeletal age of the patient based on the comparison.

03-10-2011

20110058725

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING BODY CIRCUMFERENCE - Methods and apparatus for measuring body circumference are provided. One method includes acquiring dual-energy two-dimensional (2D) scan information from a dual-energy x-ray scan of a body and generating a dual-energy image of the body using the 2D scan information. The method further includes determining a circumference of at least one portion of the body based on the dual-energy scan information and the generated dual-energy image.

03-10-2011

20130148873

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING X-RAY ENERGY INTO DISCRETE LEVELS - A system and apparatus for classifying x-ray energy into discrete levels include an imaging system comprising an x-ray source, a detector, and a DAS having a discriminator assembly configured to count photon hits in the detector. A computer causes the discriminator assembly to count photon hits in the detector having an energy level greater than or equal to first and second threshold levels during an imaging scan, wherein the second threshold level is distinct from the first threshold level. The computer further modifies the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to the first threshold level based on the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to the second threshold level and reconstructs an image based on the modified photon hits and based on the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to a second threshold level.

SELF CORRECTING PORTABLE DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY DETECTOR, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SAME - Embodiments of radiographic imaging systems and/or methods can monitor the state of calibration of a digital x-ray detector, the detector including a solid state sensor with a plurality of pixels, an optional scintillating screen and at least one embedded microprocessor. In one embodiment, a method can use a computer or the embedded microprocessor or both, for setting a calibration operating mode of the portable detector; taking a plurality of dark images in the calibration mode; determining a dark difference image between pixel readings between two of the plurality of dark images; identifying pixels in the dark difference image that differ by over a threshold amount from at least some surrounding pixels in the dark difference image as defective pixels.

07-18-2013

20130156285

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus that processes a radiation image obtained from a detector in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged includes: an obtainment unit that obtains a radiation image; a control unit that controls, in accordance with radiation dose characteristics of a first pixel in the detector and a first pixel value of the first pixel in the radiation image, a weighting coefficient for the first pixel value of the first pixel and a weighting coefficient for second pixel values that are different from the first pixel value; and a correction unit that corrects the first pixel value in the obtained radiation image based on the weighting coefficients.

06-20-2013

20130051649

MEDICAL VIEWING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AN ANGULATED VIEW OF AN OBJECT OF INTEREST - In a medical viewing system having an X-ray image acquisition device a data processing unit is adapted for generating two different views on a three-dimensional image set, wherein a first view is corresponding to the viewing direction of the X-ray image acquisition device and a second view has a rotational offset to the first viewing direction. The first view may include live X-ray images, e.g. for monitoring a stent placement. The second view

Method for reducing image noise in the context of capturing an image using on different radiation spectra - The invention relates to a method for reducing image noise in the context of capturing at least one radiation-based image of a region of interest using two different radiation spectra, in particular two different x-ray radiation spectra, comprising the following steps: capturing raw images of the region of interest using the two different radiation spectra with in each case mutually paired measured values; and to separate different materials in the region of interest, applying to the captured raw images at least one inversion operator with integrated noise filtering, said operator describing a transition from a measured value pair to an assigned reconstruction value pair.

03-05-2009

20090060312

DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING PROGRAM FOR SEPARATING IMAGE COMPONENTS - A problem inherent to radiographic images, which may occur when an independent component analysis technique is applied to energy subtraction carried out on radiographic images, is solved to achieve separation of image components to be separated with higher accuracy. As preprocessing before the independent component analysis, a spatial frequency band which contains the components to be separated is extracted, pixels of the radiographic images are classified into more than one subsets for each radiographic image based on a value of a predetermined parameter, and/or nonlinear pixel value conversion is applied to the radiographic images based on a value of the predetermined parameter. Alternatively, nonlinear independent component analysis is carried out according to a model using the predetermined parameter.

03-05-2009

20090060311

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING X-RAY IMAGES - A method includes obtaining a first image of an object, obtaining a second image of an object, determining a level of correlation between the first and second images, and using the determined level of correlation between the first and second images to obtain information regarding a motion of the object.

METHOD FOR CREATING A REPORT FROM RADIOLOGICAL IMAGES USING ELECTRONIC REPORT TEMPLATES - Creating a report from a radiological image using an electronic report template, the radiological image being an image of an anatomic region and the report template initially having empty fields includes displaying the radiological image on a screen of a workstation; providing a structural template, the structural template being a map of a reference region that corresponds to the anatomical region, t structural template identifying a plurality of anatomical landmarks each associated with corresponding landmark data; fitting the structural template with the radiological image such that the anatomical landmarks match corresponding anatomical landmarks of the radiological image; using the fitting to generate pathological data indicative of a pathology in one or more of the anatomical landmark and using the landmark data and pathological data to populate the empty field of the report template to thereby create the report.

09-26-2013

20130251232

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RADIOGRAPHING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM THEREFOR - A search processing unit of a central server searches for radiographing information matched with a designated radiographing part, among all items of the radiographing information of a medical facility having radiographing information matched with a detection device ID from a storage device. A sorting unit performs classification into medical facilities (first group), in which the radiation dose after an X-ray image detection device of the designated detection device ID is introduced has changed from that before the introduction, and medical facilities (second group) in which the radiation dose after the X-ray image detection device of the designated detection device ID is introduced has not changed. A statistical data generation unit generates a histogram, in which the range of radiation dose is set as the class on the horizontal axis and the number of medical facilities is set as the frequency on the vertical, for each of first and second groups.

09-26-2013

20100061614

METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN X-RAY IMAGE DURING A MAMMOGRAPHY - In a continuous mammography procedure, the breast of a subject is fixed in place in a retention device, and a first x-ray image is generated by irradiating the breast in the retention device. While the breast is still held in the retention device, the first x-ray image is evaluated to define a condition for generating a second x-ray image. The second x-ray image is then generated according to the defined condition, with the breast still in the same position in the retention device.

03-11-2010

20100061613

METHOD, APPARATUS AND PROGRAM FOR PROCESSING MAMMOGRAPHIC IMAGE - Provided are a method, an apparatus, and a program for processing a mammographic image, whereby the file size of the mammographic image can be remarkably reduced while retaining the original breast portion sufficient for diagnosis. A controlling unit divides an original mammographic image into a breast portion and a background portion based on a predetermined value (whether each pixel value of the original mammographic image is greater or smaller than a predetermined value). It determines the breast boundary line between the breast portion and the background portion (operation S

CORRECTION INFORMATION GENERATION METHOD AND CORRECTION INFORMATION GENERATION APPARATUS - A correction information generation method and a correction information generation apparatus enabling easy Flat-Field Correction operation without special accessory equipment are provided. The correction information generation method for performing Flat-Field Correction of X-ray detection sensitivity on a pixel detector, includes the steps of: moving the relative position of a detector

05-28-2015

20150146961

REPORTING IMAGED PORTIONS OF A PATIENT'S BODY PART - Described embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product. In a described system, a receiver circuit receives at least two reference images of a patient body part. Each reference image includes a respective landmark subsurface feature of the patient body part, and each imaged landmark subsurface feature has a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of a surface of the patient body part imaged during a medical examination. A feature matching circuit determines a correspondence between (x) each atlas landmark subsurface feature of the patient body part included in a landmark subsurface feature atlas and (y) each respective imaged landmark subsurface feature. A reporting circuit generates informational data reporting a depiction of an area of the surface of the patient body part by at least two adjacent imaged regions of the surface of the patient body part. A communication circuit outputs the informational data.

05-28-2015

20120224762

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING PANORAMIC IMAGES - The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for obtaining panoramic images in which cervical effect is corrected in such a manner that the uniform contrast is shown. According to the apparatus and the method, the method comprises the steps of: obtaining a preceding frame image by irradiating radiation on one certain section of an image layer trace on which the tooth trace of a subject is embodied; calculating a gray scale average value of pixels that are included within a predetermined reference region of the preceding frame image; comparing the calculated gray scale average value with a gray scale reference value that is calculated from a prepared sample image, and generating a radiation correction value corresponding to a difference value therebetween; and obtaining a succeeding frame image by irradiating strength-adjusted radiation on one section that is adjacent to the other section of an unknown layer trace, according to the calculated radiation correction value.

09-06-2012

20120224761

Method for providing a 3D image data record of a physiological object with a metal object therein - A method for providing a 3D image data record of a physiological object with a metal object therein is proposed. To enable an image of the metal object in the physiological object, for instance a biopsy needle in a human patient to be recorded as a 3D image in this patient, two 2D x-ray images of the patient are obtained with the needle with the aid of a biplane x-ray system, and back projection allows a 3D image data record to be generated, which is then subject to a filtering with a gray-scale value window. After filtering, information relating to the position and shape of the metal object in space is obtained. The thus obtained first 3D image data record can be combined with another 3D image data record, in particular with a 3D image data record of the patient without the metal object obtained with the same biplane x-ray system.

METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL VISUALIZATION OF THE SPINAL COLUMN BY VERTEBRA VECTORS, SACRUM VECTOR, SACRUM PLATEAU VECTOR AND PELVIS VECTOR - A new system and method introducing vertebra vectors for the three-dimensional (3D) visualization and its use for the complete 3D characterization and numerical analysis of vertebrae in spinal deformities is covered in this application. A vertebra vector representing its respective vertebra means a simplification of the very complex visual information in digital images and 3D reconstructions provided by the current radiodiagnostic devices, without sacrificing relevant data for the information important to understand the underlying processes in spinal deformation: 3D mathematical data on vertebral size, position, orientation and rotation. A series of vertebra vectors of the thoracic and lumbar spinal region provide the ability of a virtual 3D reconstruction of the spine, in frontal, sagittal and horizontal plane. Conventional angulation measurement methods to describe and characterize the spinal column in the frontal and sagittal plane are preserved and readily applicable by methods using vertebra vectors as well.

08-08-2013

20140093154

SURGICAL METHOD AND WORKFLOW - A surgical method and workflow to improve the efficiency of a surgical procedure by intraoperatively acquiring a digital radiographic image, processing the digital radiographic image, and using information based on the radiographic image to make adjustments during the surgical procedure. A checklist of parameters may be displayed so that the surgeon can confirm all considerations have been made for the surgical procedure.

04-03-2014

20130034289

FILTER APPROACH TO CATHETER ELECTRODE DETECTION AND TRACKING - A method including receiving a first two-dimensional (2D) image; and applying a filter to the 2D image to produce a filtered image that identifies a circular object of interest, wherein the filter is based on the integral sum of the function S, where the filter output at point x is

02-07-2013

20130329981

RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - Provided is a technique to improve both the image quality of a radiation image and the operability of a radiation imaging apparatus. In the present invention, three or more unirradiated images are obtained before capturing a radiation image, and a temporal change in the amount of electric charges in each pixel is approximated using a non-linear function. At this time, the amount of residual electric charges is determined by evaluating a coefficient of determination of an approximate equation, and the most appropriate offset correction processing method is selected in accordance with the status of the determination.

12-12-2013

20140037179

FLUOROSCOPY APPARATUS AND FLUOROSCOPY SYSTEM - Provided is a fluoroscopy apparatus including a light source that irradiates an observation target with reference light and excitation light; a fluorescence-image generating unit that captures fluorescence emitted from the observation target X irradiated with the excitation light to generate a fluorescence image; a reference-image generating unit that captures return light returning from the observation target irradiated with the reference light to generate a reference image; an image-combining unit that superimposes the fluorescence image on the reference image to generate a combined image; a determining unit that determines whether there is a position with a luminance at or below a predetermined threshold in the reference image; and a notifying unit that, if the determining unit determines that there is a position with a luminance at or below the predetermined threshold, provides notification thereof.

METHOD FOR ASSESSING BREAST DENSITY - Breast density is a significant breast cancer risk factor measured from mammograms. Evidence suggests that the spatial variation in mammograms may also be associated with risk. The variation in calibrated mammograms as a breast cancer risk factor was investigated and its relationship with other measures of breast density was explored using full field digital mammography (FFDM) as described herein. A matched case-control analysis was used to assess a spatial variation breast density measure in calibrated FFDM images, normalized for the image acquisition technique variation. The findings indicate the variation measure is a viable automated method for assessing breast density. Insights gained by this work may be used to develop a standard for measuring breast density.

10-17-2013

20090034820

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SYSTEM - A diagnostic imaging system includes a generation unit which generates a fluoroscopic image of X-rays that irradiate a subject, a setting unit which, when displaying the fluoroscopic image superimposed on a field image of a head mounted display, sets the display ratio of the field image and the fluoroscopic image in accordance with a display condition, an image composition unit which generates a composite image by superimposing the fluoroscopic image on the field image on the basis of the ratio set by the setting unit, and an image display unit which displays the composite image on the display unit of the head mounted display.

02-05-2009

20130329982

Radiological Simulation - A data processing apparatus, system and method for simulating radiological imaging of a physical object, comprising: an object model generator configured to generate a data model, wherein the data model comprises data representative of the orientation of the physical object with respect to a frame of reference and simulated composition data; and an image simulator configured to perform a radiological simulation on the data model and generate a simulated radiological image of the physical object.

FLUOROSCOPY DEVICE - A fluoroscopy device includes a light source that irradiates an observation site with excitation light and white light; a fluorescence-image generating section that acquires a fluorescence image by capturing fluorescence generated in the observation site irradiated with the excitation light; a reference-image generating section that acquires a reference image by capturing return light returning from the observation site irradiated with the white light; an observation-condition determining section that determines the observation conditions of the observation site on the basis of the reference image acquired by the reference-image generating section; a preprocessing section that corrects gradation values of the reference image on the basis of the observation conditions of the observation site; and a fluorescence-image correcting section that generates a corrected fluorescence image by dividing the fluorescence image acquired by the fluorescence-image generating section by the reference image whose gradation values have been corrected by the preprocessing section.

BACK-PROJECTION OF A PROJECTION IMAGE DATA SET WITH DEPTH-DEPENDENT FILTERING - For filtered back-projection of a projection image data set, the projection image data set is cosine-weighted. The cosine-weighted projection image data set within the image plane of the projection image data set is subjected to a two-dimensional Radon transformation. The Radon transform of the cosine-weighted projection image data set differentiated with respect to the distance from an image origin of an image coordinate system. The derivative of the Radon transform is redundancy-weighted. The redundancy-weighted derivative is subjected to a two-dimensional Radon back-transformation. The Radon back-transform is differentiated and back-projected with respect to an image column coordinate. A differentiation step width entering into the differentiation is varied depending on depth.

01-31-2013

20130279787

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND PROCESSING METHOD THEREFOR - A radiographic imaging apparatus performs imaging based on an examination order including a plurality of imaging protocols, executes image processing for the captured image based on the imaging protocol used at the time of the imaging, designates a change source imaging protocol and a change destination imaging protocol from the examination order based on an instruction of an operator, and changes the imaging protocol corresponding to the image captured based on the change source imaging protocol from the change source imaging protocol to the change destination imaging protocol. When the change of protocol is made, the apparatus executes image processing based on the change destination imaging protocol for the image before the image processing which is captured based on the change source imaging protocol.

10-24-2013

20140037180

METHOD FOR TOOTH SURFACE CLASSIFICATION - A method for intraoral imaging obtains a digital image of one or more teeth and detects first and second boundaries. At each of the first and second boundaries, there is calculated a boundary ratio of mean gray-scale values for the tooth area on one side of the boundary to mean gray-scale values for background areas on the other side. The calculated boundary ratios are stored. A third ratio of the mean gray-scale values for the tooth area near the first boundary to the mean gray-scale values for the tooth area near the second boundary is calculated and stored. A vector is formed and stored that contains at least the calculated boundary ratios and the third ratio. The tooth surface is classified as either smooth or occlusal according to the stored vector. The image data is processed according to the classification and processing results are reported.

02-06-2014

20130071000

RADIOGRAPHIC-IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - A radiographic-image processing apparatus that can accurately remove striated artifacts superimposed onto image data taken by an FPD radiographic imaging device includes: a partitioning section that partitions a region, in which image data taken by a radiographic imaging device is arranged two-dimensionally, into segments; a mean-value computation section that computes mean values from the image data along the same scanning line in each segment; an edge compression section that compresses mean-value differentials in boundary regions between the imaged subject and the surroundings thereof; a filtering section that applies an adaptive filter to the differential-compressed profile; and a correction-data creation section that creates correction data on the basis of each datum in the adaptive-filtered profile. Image data in which noise is removed is generated by subtracting corresponding correction data from the image data.

03-21-2013

20140044336

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING RADIOLOGICAL IMAGES - A method for viewing radiological images, comprising providing a first radiological image, providing a second radiological image co-registered with the first radiological image, computing at least one intermediate image as an interpolation of the first radiological image and the second radiological image, and displaying a sequence of images comprising the first radiological image, the at least one intermediate image, and the second radiological image to a user.

02-13-2014

20140153810

Methods and Devices for Quantitative Analysis of X-Ray Images - The present invention relates to network enabled analysis of x-ray images. Also described are devices that include calibration phantoms, methods of using these devices, methods of formulating databases containing information regarding x-ray images, the databases themselves, methods of manipulating the information and databases, and methods of analyzing electronic image data of a patient.

06-05-2014

20140105479

METHOD AND SYSTEM OF IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION AND METHOD AND SYSTEM OF IMAGE CONSTRUCTION - A method of image reconstruction is provided. When an object is not placed in a measurement space, first intensity images of an electromagnetic wave passing through the measurement space and corresponding to photon energy levels are measured. When the object is placed in the measurement space, second intensity images of the electromagnetic wave passing through the object and corresponding to photon energy levels are measured. In a database, data including an attenuation coefficient of each substance respectively having components irradiated by the electromagnetic wave corresponding to each photon energy level and a thickness of each substance in a transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to each photon energy level are provided. Attenuation images of the object respectively corresponding to the components are calculated according to the data and the first and second intensity images. An image reconstruction system and a method and system of image construction are also provided.

04-17-2014

20140161341

IMAGE REPRODUCING SYSTEM AND IMAGE FILE GENERATING APPARATUS - With respect to two images of an image for a right eye and an image for a left eye constituting a stereoscopic image, and which have been obtained at a mammography apparatus, a computer sets one of the two images, as a main image, and the remaining image as a sub-image. Further, a password releasable exclusively by an image reproducing terminal that copes with reproduction of a stereoscopic image file is set for the sub-image, and the two images are stored in a stereoscopic image file.

06-12-2014

20140119632

AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING RADIOLOGICAL SECOND OPINIONS - A computer-implemented method for providing a radiological opinion includes the steps of: (a) receiving an order for a radiological opinion by means of a web-based application accessible to a user; (b) launching an upload/scan application accessible to the user; (c) scanning a user-selected folder or drive for DICOM images; (d) parsing the DICOM images found in step (c); (e) uploading the DICOM images parsed in step (d); (f) routing the uploaded DICOM images to a picture archiving communication system; (g) generating a radiology order; (h) routing the radiology order to a radiology information system; (i) receiving a radiological opinion; and (j) routing the radiological opinion to the user.

05-01-2014

20140119631

TEMPLATE MATCHING METHOD FOR IMAGE-BASED DETECTION AND TRACKING OF IRREGULAR SHAPED TARGETS - A method of generating a template image includes: receiving an input from a user representing identifications of an object in different respective slices of a volumetric image; using the input to determine a volume-of-interest (VOI) that includes voxels in a subset of the volumetric image; and determining the template image using at least some of the voxels in the VOI, wherein the act of determining the template image comprises performing a forward projection of the at least some of the voxels in the VOI using a processor. An image processing method includes: obtaining a volumetric image; performing forward projection of voxels in the volumetric image from different positions onto a first plane using a processor; and summing projections on the first plane resulted from the forward projection from the different positions to create a first image slice in the first plane.

05-01-2014

20120314929

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF STRUCTURE DATASETS - The present embodiments relate to a system for automatic generation of structure datasets that are used for planning radiotherapy. The system includes a receiver unit that receives an image dataset of a person being examined. A central segmentation unit is provided. The receiver unit forwards the image dataset automatically to the central segmentation unit, the central segmentation unit having an identification unit for identifying a region of the body and a plurality of segmentation modules. Each segmentation module of the plurality of segmentation modules segments the image dataset using different segmentation methods. The identification unit, following identification of the region of the body, selects a segmentation module on the basis of the region of the body identified and automatically forwards the image dataset to the selected segmentation module. The selected segmentation module segments the image dataset, identifies predetermined structures in the image dataset, and generates a structure dataset.

12-13-2012

20130308851

Irradiation Field Recognition - A method to extract irradiation field areas in an X-ray image represented by a digital signal representation comprising the steps of segmenting the image in multiple regions of pixels which have similar local image characteristics, fitting line segments to the boundaries of these regions whereby said line segments correspond with candidate irradiation field boundaries and constitute a segmentation map, classifying regions in said segmentation map into at least two classes, one class being irradiation field and the other class being collimated region on the basis of at least one of local, regional and global image characteristics.

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - A radiographic image photographing method using a radiographic image photographing apparatus. The radiation image photographing method includes: displaying a parameter value of the radiographic image photographing apparatus for a predetermined part of a target object and a preview image corresponding to the parameter value; changing the parameter value or the preview image based on a user's input; and changing the preview image according to the changed parameter value, or the parameter value according to the changed preview image.

02-06-2014

20120230576

EXTENDED LOW CONTRAST DETECTABILITY FOR RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING SYSTEMS - Systems and methods for determining an extended low contrast detectability performance function for an operating range for a core operating mode of a radiographic imaging system using actual reconstructed images characterize the contrast performance of a radiographic imaging system over its operating range and for any patient size based on the off-line calibration, uses ordered pairs of flux index and contrast index for each scanned object to provide a contrast index for each protocol for each contrast set, and uses the ordered pairs of flux index and contrast index to determine an extended low contrast detectability performance function for the operating range of a radiographic imaging system. Extended low contrast detectability performance data compilation and methods of clinical use, and low contrast phantom configurations and methods of calibration are also disclosed.

09-13-2012

20080317321

High quality volume rendering with graphics processing unit - A technique for generating DRR (digitally reconstructed radiography) images includes dividing sample points along a ray trajectory through a 3-dimensional dataset of attenuation values into stages. Each of the stages includes a plurality of the sample points. The attenuation values are summed along the ray trajectory for each of the sample points. Intermediate summation values are computed for each of the stages along the ray trajectory and for each of the stages the attenuation values summed within a given stage are summed with a previous stage intermediate summation value calculated for a stage previous to the given stage to generate a given stage intermediate summation value. A final accumulation value being representative of a total attenuation summed along the ray trajectory is calculated.

12-25-2008

20090324049

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSESSING CANCER RISK - Methods and systems for determining a probabilistic assessment of a person developing cancer are disclosed. The probabilistic assessment may include receiving a digital breast image of a person, selecting a region of interest within the received breast image, and analyzing this selected region of interest with respect to texture analysis. A probabilistic assessment may then be determined through the use of a logistic regression model based on the texture analysis within the region of interest and personal risk factors. A probabilistic assessment may also be determined through the use of a linear regression model based on the texture analysis within the region of interest and a known cancer indicator or risk factor.

12-31-2009

20090324048

Method and apparatus for multi-modal imaging - A method and apparatus for imaging a subject animal. The method comprises the steps of treating the animal with an x-ray contrast agent and an imaging agent; supporting the animal in an immobilized state on a support member; acquiring an x-ray anatomical image of the animal; acquiring an optical, dark-field image of the animal; and registering the x-ray anatomical image and the optical image, whereby features of the optical image can be observed in relation to features of the anatomical image.

12-31-2009

20130315464

MATERIAL ANALYSIS BASED ON IMAGING EFFECTIVE ATOMIC NUMBERS - Effective atomic numbers associated with pixels in a region are received. An effective atomic number is associated with each pixel in the region. X-ray data for the region is received, and an item within the region is identified from the x-ray data. Some of the pixels in the region are correlated with the item such that the item is associated with an effective atomic number. An image of the region is rendered. The pixels of the item have a display style based on the effective atomic number of the item.

11-28-2013

20080298665

Methods and Systems for Grouping Radiological Images into Event Markers - Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for radiological imaging including: viewing a study, the study including a series of radiological images interfacing with the study to allow interaction with the radiological images of the study; selecting an image from the series of radiological images to form an event marker; and

12-04-2008

20080292174

Image Processing Device and Method - The present invention provides image processing device and method for effectively generating a difference image from plural images. The plural images generated by an image generation unit are first associated with radiography date and time information and stored in a storage unit, at least one reference image and one comparison image are designated by an image designation unit from the stored images, the date and time information of the designated reference image is compared with the date and time information of the designated comparison image by an image comparison unit, a difference process is executed by a difference processing unit based on an operation determined based on the comparison result, and the processed difference image is displayed on a display unit under the control of a display control unit.

11-27-2008

20080260232

X-RAY IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM - An X-ray image processing system, comprises: a radiographing section including an X-ray source to emit X-rays for an object to be radiographed and an image detector to detect X-rays having passed through the object, wherein the radiographing section is adapted to conduct a phase contrast radiography by providing a space between the object and the image detector and by irradiating X-rays having an X-ray energy of 15 to 30 (keV) from the X-ray source to the object; an image data producing section to produce X-ray image data of X-ray image detected by the image detector; an image processing section to applying an image processing including a noise reducing process for the produced X-ray image data; and an output section to output the processed image data applied with the image processing.

X-RAY IMAGE DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - An X-ray image diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an image processing unit configured to create a synthesized image by synthesizing an X-ray image of a region of interest inside a given region and an X-ray image of a peripheral region excluding the region of interest in the given region, wherein when the region of interest is changed, the image processing unit acquires an X-ray image of a changed region which is in the region of interest before the change and is changed to the peripheral region, from the X-ray image of the region of interest before the change, and then superimposes the X-ray image of the changed region on the X-ray image of the peripheral region to create the synthesized image.

05-30-2013

20130136331

METHOD AND APPARATUS TO DETERMINE ACQUISITION PARAMETERS IN DUAL-ENERGY TOMOSYNTHESIS - In a control method and a control unit to control a high-energy, tomosynthesis scan in a contrast agent-assisted dual-energy tomosynthesis, image data of a first tomosynthesis scan are evaluated in order to determine the respective greyscale values for all volume segments. A tube current-time product value for every greyscale value is stored in a memory. For every projection angle, a calculation unit can thereupon calculate a tube current-time product value and acquisition parameters and result with which the second high-energy tomosynthesis scan is controlled.

05-30-2013

20120243766

IMAGE EVALUATION METHOD AND SYSTEM - A method and system for evaluating images, such as x-ray image, to provide feedback that can be used for subsequent image acquisition. The feedback may be used to adjust the positioning of a patient with respect to an image capture device, or a setting of the image capture device. The image capture device may be part of a dental x-ray imaging system that generates an x-ray image of the patent and provides the image to a collector service. The image is evaluated by the collector service for positioning errors and other operator correctable issues that may have had an impact on the image quality. A report that includes feedback regarding the operator correctable issues, as well as suggested corrective action, is generated and provided to the imaging system operator.

09-27-2012

20080240538

Image processing system for an x-ray installation - The invention relates to an image processing system for an x-ray installation or such like having at least one image source, a plurality of computing units for processing different algorithms, at least one non-volatile storage and a data sink, with the image source, the plurality of computing units, the non-volatile storage and the data sink each being physically connected to at least one control unit operating as a circuit module in a physical network, as a result of which a star-shaped logical topology can be configured by the control unit.

10-02-2008

20080240536

METHOD OF DETECTION AND COMPENSATION FOR RESPIRATORY MOTION IN RADIOGRAPHY CARDIAC IMAGES SYNCHRONIZED WITH AN ELECTROCARDIOGRAM SIGNAL - A method of detection and compensation for respiratory motion improves the registration between a 3D pre-operation image and X-ray images acquired during a cardiac intervention. By synchronizing the X-ray images with the electrocardiogram, the disclosed method thus eliminates the motion related to the heart cycle from these images, thus isolating the contribution of the respiratory motion. From this point, an algorithm is proposed capable of attributing the motion remaining in the radiography images to respiration. The algorithm also enables this motion to be detected and compensated for in order to obtain a registration between 3D cardiac images and radiography images.

10-02-2008

20080232667

DEVICE, METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING PROGRAM FOR SEPARATING IMAGE COMPONENT, AND DEVICE, METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING PROGRAM FOR GENERATING NORMAL IMAGE - A normal image representing a normal structure of a predetermined structure in an input medical image is generated with higher accuracy. Further, an abnormal component in the input medical image is separated with higher accuracy. A supervised learned filtering unit inputs an input image representing a predetermined structure to a supervised learned filter to generate an image representing a normal structure of the predetermined structure. The supervised learned filter is obtained through a learning process using supervisor images, each representing a normal structure of the predetermined structure in a subject (individual), and corresponding training images, each containing an abnormal component in the corresponding subject (individual). Further, a difference processing unit separates an abnormal component in the input image by calculating a difference between the input image and the image representing the normal structure.